Hydrogel-Based Scaffolds with a Focus on Medical Use (4th Edition)

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Processing and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2026 | Viewed by 380

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Interests: stem cell transplantation; stem cell biology; regenerative medicine; formation of tissues and organs; mesenchymal and hematopoietic stem cells (MSCs and HSCs); hydrogel
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Interests: morphology and functional imaging of cells; neuroanatomy and neurophysiology; gene therapy; cell therapy; regenerative medicine; hydrogel
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are sincerely grateful to all authors, reviewers, and readers for their valuable support of the previous three editions of our Special Issue, “Hydrogel-Based Scaffolds with a Focus on Medical Use.” We are now pleased to announce the launch of the 4th edition of this Special Issue.

Hydrogel-based scaffolds have rapidly gained attention as promising substrates for cell cultures and tissue regeneration, with their unique ability to create well-defined 3D biofabricated tissues. These scaffolds provide bioactive substrates and structural support, offering topographical and chemical cues that encourage cell proliferation, differentiation, and tissue development in vitro and in vivo. The unique characteristics of hydrogels, including their high porosity, interconnectivity, and biocompatibility, make them ideal candidates for tissue engineering applications, allowing for efficient nutrient and oxygen diffusion, vascularization, and cellular responses.

This Special Issue will not only focus on bone, cartilage, and skin regeneration, but also aims to expand the scope by incorporating tissue repair for a variety of clinical applications, including neural engineering, cardiac repair, skeletal muscle regeneration, and vascular tissue engineering. By broadening the spectrum of tissue types, we hope to showcase the versatility of polymer-based scaffolds and their relevance across different medical fields, attracting contributions from a wider research community.

Additionally, we invite comparative discussions on the common challenges and strategies employed across different tissue types, including the optimization of scaffold properties for specific applications. We believe this expansion will enhance the impact and visibility of the Special Issue, making it a valuable resource for researchers and clinicians working in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

We look forward to your contributions and to advancing the exciting field of hydrogel-based scaffolds together.

Dr. Federica Re
Dr. Elisa Borsani
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • hydrogel-based scaffolds
  • resorbable scaffolds
  • synthesis of biomaterials
  • mesenchymal stromal cells
  • bioengineered models
  • bone regeneration
  • cartilage regeneration
  • skin regeneration

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26 pages, 4340 KB  
Article
Tendon dECM Composited with Chitosan with Loading Skin Precursor Stem Cell Exosome for Enhanced Diabetic Wound Healing
by Yunguang Chen, Yingying Liang, Yaling Deng and Lei Nie
Gels 2026, 12(5), 361; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12050361 - 26 Apr 2026
Viewed by 180
Abstract
Diabetic wounds are a common and severe complication of diabetes mellitus, characterized by delayed healing due to persistent inflammation, impaired angiogenesis, and cellular dysfunction. Conventional therapeutic approaches remain limited in efficacy. In recent years, exosomes have attracted considerable attention in wound healing and [...] Read more.
Diabetic wounds are a common and severe complication of diabetes mellitus, characterized by delayed healing due to persistent inflammation, impaired angiogenesis, and cellular dysfunction. Conventional therapeutic approaches remain limited in efficacy. In recent years, exosomes have attracted considerable attention in wound healing and regenerative medicine because of their crucial role in intercellular communication and tissue repair. However, rapid clearance of exosomes in vivo greatly limits their therapeutic efficacy. To address this critical limitation, we engineered a decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM)-based hydrogel system functionalized with exosomes derived from skin-derived precursor cells (SKPs). This biomimetic scaffold was designed to serve as a local exosome-delivery platform at the wound site, with the aim of improving exosome utilization and augmenting their regenerative effects. Comprehensive in vitro characterization demonstrated that the exosome-loaded composite hydrogels exhibited robust pro-angiogenic activity, as evidenced by enhanced endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation. Moreover, the hydrogels displayed significant antibacterial effects against wound-relevant pathogens and potent reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging capacity, thereby mitigating oxidative damage. Notably, the composite hydrogels also promoted the phenotypic polarization of macrophages toward the pro-regenerative M2 phenotype. In parallel, in vivo studies using a streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat wound model confirmed that treatment with the composite hydrogels significantly accelerated wound closure rates compared to control groups. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses revealed enhanced angiogenesis, as evidenced by increased CD31-positive microvessel density, as well as improved collagen deposition, re-epithelialization, and an attenuated local inflammatory microenvironment characterized by reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and elevated M2 macrophage infiltration. Collectively, the SKPs exosome-loaded dECM based composite hydrogels developed in this study represent a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of diabetic wounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hydrogel-Based Scaffolds with a Focus on Medical Use (4th Edition))
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