Gels in Tissue Engineering

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2027 | Viewed by 608

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Engineering, University of Maryland Eastern, Princess Anne, MD 21853, USA
Interests: tissue engineering; biomaterials; regenerative medicine; 3D bioprinting; biomanufacturing
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Guest Editor
Department of Engineering, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD 21853, USA
Interests: 3D bioprinting; tissue engineering; micro fluidics; nano fabrication; stem cell culture; organ on a chip model; bone graft development; exosome engineering; nanomedicine; biosensor development

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Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical Engineering, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA
Interests: biomaterials; tissue engineering; cartilage; meniscus; tendon
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine is gaining considerable attention as a promising area, not only for creating three-dimensional engineered tissues for the reconstruction of damaged tissues but also for investigating complex physiological interactions between tissues through various strategies, such as 3D bioprinting, microfluidic devices, and bioactive molecules. Furthermore, the recent success of mRNA vaccines in clinical applications has inspired discussions on new, promising approaches in regenerative medicine.

This Special Issue entitled “Gels in Tissue Engineering” aims to showcase recent advances and comprehensive studies in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, with a particular emphasis on versatile biomaterials, including those combined with extracellular vesicles (EVs), as well as targeted biomolecular delivery systems, 3D printing technologies, and microfluidic platforms. Submissions are not limited to these areas; we also welcome authoritative review articles that synthesize current strategies for addressing major disorders of global relevance. Both original research articles and reviews are encouraged, and all submissions will undergo rigorous peer review and be published in an open access format.

Dr. Hun-Jin Jeong
Dr. Md Sarker
Dr. Solaiman Tarafder
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.

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Keywords

  • hydrogel
  • biomaterials
  • 3D bioprinting
  • targeted biomolecular delivery systems
  • tissue engineering
  • regenerative medicine

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

25 pages, 8096 KB  
Article
Hydrophilic Anhydride-Containing Oligomers for Two-Component Hydrogels: From Biopolymer Compatibility to Cytocompatible Gelatin Bioinks
by Julia C. Matros, Katharina E. Wiebe-Ben Zakour, Joana Witt and Michael C. Hacker
Gels 2026, 12(5), 437; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12050437 - 16 May 2026
Viewed by 350
Abstract
Tissue engineering represents a central strategy in regenerative medicine to restore damaged or missing tissue through structural and functional replacement. In this study, a two-component bioink platform was developed based on amine–anhydride conjugation as a mild crosslinking reaction between synthetic anhydride-containing oligomers (oSMoMA-x) [...] Read more.
Tissue engineering represents a central strategy in regenerative medicine to restore damaged or missing tissue through structural and functional replacement. In this study, a two-component bioink platform was developed based on amine–anhydride conjugation as a mild crosslinking reaction between synthetic anhydride-containing oligomers (oSMoMA-x) and natural biopolymers. The compatibility of the oligomers with different amine-containing biopolymers, including chitosan, gelatin, and hydrolyzed collagen peptides, was systematically evaluated. To improve cytocompatibility and enable controlled network formation, oSMoMA oligomers with varying anhydride contents were synthesized and characterized, allowing targeted tuning of material properties through comonomer composition. The resulting hydrogels were comparatively assessed with respect to their rheological and physicochemical properties. While hydrogel formation was achieved with all investigated biopolymers, gelatin-based systems exhibited the most favorable characteristics for bioink development. Two gelatin/oSMoMA bioink formulations with distinct gelation behavior were obtained by employing different base catalysts, enabling control over crosslinking kinetics and material properties. Cytocompatibility was comprehensively evaluated using viability assays, demonstrating enhanced metabolic activity of cells encapsulated in gelatin/oSMoMA-3.5 hydrogels compared to established reference systems, with sustained compatibility for up to seven days. Extrusion-based 3D bioprinting was performed using a modified printhead with integrated temperature control to maintain physiological conditions. The bioinks were successfully printed with embedded murine 3T3 fibroblasts, and post-printing analyses confirmed cell proliferation within the hydrogel constructs. Overall, the results demonstrate the broad compatibility of amin–anhydride-crosslinked oSMoMA systems with different biopolymers and highlight gelatin/oSMoMA bioinks as promising cytocompatible materials for stable 3D bioprinting applications in tissue engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gels in Tissue Engineering)
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