Engineered hydrogel-based matrices for skin wound healing

Abstract

Hydrogels, due to their hygroscopic nature, have been widely used as wound dressings. Because hydrogels resemble native extracellular matrix (ECM), newer developments aim at recreating three-dimensional ECM-like microenvironments. In general, current hydrogels show limited molecular diffusion and cell binding sites. Spongy-like hydrogels, based on gellan gum polysaccharide, produced by a sequential advanced processing methodology, reunite the benefits of hydrogels along with the capacity to control specific cell behavior. These structures can be stored as dried networks that after re-hydration with a solution containing cells and/or bioactive molecules form the spongy-like hydrogels. Spongy-like hydrogels show improved physical stability, flexibility, viscoelasticity and facilitated manipulation in the incorporation of bioactive molecules and/or cells, in comparison to traditional hydrogels. These characteristics make spongy-like hydrogels attractive for skin regeneration purposes. In this chapter we present the work leading to spongy-like hydrogels, highlighting the possibility of fine-tuning their properties, effects of incorporating hyaluronic acid, stem cells and adult skin cells to meet the demands of specific wound types.Â