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Gels
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Gel-Based Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering
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Gel-Based Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 2663

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rasha Abdelrahman

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, 61200 Brno, Czech Republic
Interests: hyaluronan; chitosan; collagen; tissue engineering; wound dressing; hydrogel
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Abdelmohsen Abdellatif

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Brno University of Technology, Purkyňova 123, 61200 Brno, Czech Republic
Interests: biomaterial; polymer nanocomposite; tissue regeneration; medical textile; nanotechnology; wound dressing and healing materials; 3D scaffold; 3D printing; polysaccharides
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, significant advances in biomaterials-based scaffolds have transformed the field of tissue engineering, offering promising solutions for the regeneration and repair of damaged tissues and organs. These scaffolds serve as 3D frameworks that mimic the natural extracellular matrix, providing physical support and biological cues essential for cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation. The evolution of scaffold materials from natural polymers like collagen and chitosan to synthetic and composite biomaterials has enabled greater control over mechanical strength, degradation rates, and biocompatibility. Furthermore, innovations in fabrication techniques such as electrospinning, 3D bioprinting, and nanotechnology have allowed for precise architectural design and functionalization of scaffolds to suit specific tissue requirements. These developments, combined with the integration of growth factors, stem cells, and responsive biomolecules, are paving the way for more effective, personalized, and clinically translatable tissue-engineered therapies.

This Special Issue, "Gel-Based Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering", aims to showcase recent breakthroughs and innovative research in scaffold development across various biomedical applications. We invite original research articles, reviews, and short communications that highlight novel biomaterials, advanced fabrication methods, functionalization approaches, in vitro/in vivo studies, and clinical translational efforts.

Dr. Rasha Abdelrahman
Dr. Abdelmohsen Abdellatif
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Gels is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • tissue engineering
  • 3D scaffolds
  • nanotechnology
  • biomaterials
  • composites and nanocomposites
  • fabrication technique
  • clinical progress
  • gel and aerogel based on polysaccharides

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 3332 KB  
Article
Preparation, Properties and Application Research of PVA/ANF/NaCl Composite Organic Hydrogel
by Guofan Zeng, Jiaqi Zhu, Zehong Wu, Yihan Qiu and Mingcen Weng
Gels 2026, 12(5), 442; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12050442 - 19 May 2026
Abstract
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based hydrogels suffer from insufficient mechanical strength, while aramid nanofibers (ANF) have intrinsic insulation that limits their sensing applications, and the synergistic effect of composite fillers remains underexplored. This study aims to develop a multifunctional PVA/ANF/NaCl composite organohydrogel for high-performance flexible [...] Read more.
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based hydrogels suffer from insufficient mechanical strength, while aramid nanofibers (ANF) have intrinsic insulation that limits their sensing applications, and the synergistic effect of composite fillers remains underexplored. This study aims to develop a multifunctional PVA/ANF/NaCl composite organohydrogel for high-performance flexible sensors. The gel was fabricated via freeze–thaw crosslinking, solvent exchange and NaCl impregnation, with systematic investigations of its microstructure, mechanical, electrical and multifunctional sensing properties, and a corresponding triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and self-powered handwriting recognition system were constructed. Results show that 2% ANF significantly enhances the gel’s mechanical performance, 0.5 M NaCl achieves optimal mechanical-electrical balance, the gel-based sensor exhibits excellent distance, pressure and strain sensing with high cyclic stability, the TENG delivers stable electrical output, and the recognition system achieves 95% accuracy on the test set. This work provides a new material and design strategy for advanced flexible electronic devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gel-Based Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering)
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18 pages, 8933 KB  
Article
CO2-Induced Foaming and Gelation for the Fabrication of Macroporous Alginate Aerogel Scaffolds
by Natalia Menshutina, Eldar Golubev, Andrey Abramov and Pavel Tsygankov
Gels 2026, 12(1), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12010017 - 24 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 832
Abstract
Alginate aerogels are attractive candidates for biomedical scaffolds because they combine high mesoporosity with biocompatibility and can be processed into open, interconnected macroporous networks suitable for tissue engineering. Here, we systematically investigate how CO2-induced foaming parameters govern the hierarchical pore structure [...] Read more.
Alginate aerogels are attractive candidates for biomedical scaffolds because they combine high mesoporosity with biocompatibility and can be processed into open, interconnected macroporous networks suitable for tissue engineering. Here, we systematically investigate how CO2-induced foaming parameters govern the hierarchical pore structure of alginate aerogels produced by subsequent supercritical CO2 drying. Sodium alginate–CaCO3 suspensions are foamed in a CO2 atmosphere at 50 or 100 bar, depressurization rates of 50 or 0.05 bar·s−1, temperatures of 5 or 25 °C, and, optionally, under pulsed pressure or with Pluronic F-68 as a surfactant. The resulting gels are dried using supercritical CO2 and characterized by micro-computed tomography and N2 sorption. High pressure combined with slow depressurization (100 bar, 0.05 bar·s−1) yields a homogeneous macroporous network with pores predominantly in the 200–500 µm range and a mesoporous texture with 15–35 nm pores, whereas fast depressurization promotes bubble coalescence and the appearance of large (>2100 µm) macropores and a broader mesopore distribution. Lowering the temperature, applying pulsed pressure, and adding surfactant enable further tuning of macropore size and connectivity with a limited impact on mesoporosity. Interpretation in terms of Peclet and Deborah numbers links processing conditions to non-equilibrium mass transfer and gel viscoelasticity, providing a physically grounded map for designing hierarchically porous alginate aerogel scaffolds for biomedical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gel-Based Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering)
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Review

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34 pages, 8651 KB  
Review
Recent Advances and Applications of Chitin and Chitosan Hydrogel Scaffolds in Tissue Engineering
by A. M. Abdel-Mohsen, Rasha M. Abdel-Rahman and Katerina Skotnicova
Gels 2026, 12(5), 427; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12050427 - 13 May 2026
Viewed by 363
Abstract
Hydrogel scaffolds have emerged as a central platform in tissue engineering due to their ability to mimic the extracellular matrix and support cellular functions. Among natural polymers, chitin and its derivative chitosan have emerged as valuable candidates for hydrogel scaffold development because of [...] Read more.
Hydrogel scaffolds have emerged as a central platform in tissue engineering due to their ability to mimic the extracellular matrix and support cellular functions. Among natural polymers, chitin and its derivative chitosan have emerged as valuable candidates for hydrogel scaffold development because of their biodegradability, compatibility with living tissues, and inherent biological functionality; however, their distinct and complementary roles in hydrogel scaffold design are often insufficiently differentiated in the literature. This review provides a comprehensive and mechanism-driven analysis of chitin- and chitosan-based hydrogel scaffolds, emphasising how their molecular structure governs network formation, mechanical performance, and biological functionality. Chitin is highlighted primarily as a structurally robust and crystalline component suitable for reinforcement. In contrast, chitosan serves as a versatile, soluble, and chemically reactive matrix enabling various crosslinking and functionalization strategies. Recent advances in physical, ionic, and covalent crosslinking as well as composite scaffold engineering, biofunctionalization, and emerging fabrication approaches such as injectable systems and three-dimensional bioprinting are systematically examined. The relationships between scaffold architecture, degradation behaviour, and cellular responses are discussed in key tissue engineering applications, including bone, cartilage, skin, and nerve regeneration. Importantly, this review introduces a unified structure–property–function framework that distinguishes the roles of chitin and chitosan within hydrogel systems and links crosslinking mechanisms to application-specific performance requirements, an aspect not comprehensively addressed in previous studies. Current challenges related to mechanical limitations, material variability, and clinical translation are critically evaluated, and future perspectives for the rational design of next-generation biomimetic hydrogel scaffolds are proposed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gel-Based Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering)
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27 pages, 1998 KB  
Review
Smart Hydrogel for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
by Wenfeng Jiao, Xueya Wang, Hui Xu, Yang Fei and Yong Jin
Gels 2026, 12(3), 209; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12030209 - 4 Mar 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 986
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that imposes substantial physical, emotional, and socioeconomic burdens on patients. Conventional therapeutic approaches are often limited by systemic toxicity, inadequate joint targeting, and variable patient responses, highlighting the urgent need for advanced drug delivery systems. [...] Read more.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that imposes substantial physical, emotional, and socioeconomic burdens on patients. Conventional therapeutic approaches are often limited by systemic toxicity, inadequate joint targeting, and variable patient responses, highlighting the urgent need for advanced drug delivery systems. Smart hydrogels have emerged as a promising platform for RA treatment due to their unique three-dimensional hydrophilic networks, excellent biocompatibility, and tunable physicochemical properties. This review systematically summarizes the preparation strategies and design principles of smart hydrogels, with an emphasis on chemically and physically crosslinked networks as well as composite systems. It further outlines the major stimulus-responsive release mechanisms—including temperature, pH, reactive oxygen species (ROS), light, and enzyme triggers—that enable targeted and controlled drug delivery within the inflamed joint microenvironment. Among the various types discussed, temperature-responsive and multi-responsive hydrogels are most frequently investigated for their potential to achieve localized, on-demand therapy. Despite considerable preclinical progress, the clinical translation of smart hydrogels faces critical challenges, including insufficient long-term biocompatibility data, lack of standardized evaluation protocols, and difficulties in scalable manufacturing. This review aims to provide a conceptual framework for the rational design of smart hydrogels and to stimulate interdisciplinary efforts toward overcoming existing translational barriers in RA treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gel-Based Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering)
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