Abstract
Hydrogels are known as water-swollen networks formed from naturally derived or synthetic polymers. They have a high potential for medical applications and play a crucial role in tissue repair and remodeling. MSC-derived exosomes are considered to be new entities for cell-free treatment in different human diseases. Recent progress in cell-free bone tissue engineering via combining exosomes obtained from human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with hydrogel scaffolds has resulted in improvement of the methodologies in bone tissue engineering. Our research has been actively focused on application of biotechnological methods for improving osteogenesis and bone healing. The following text presents a concise review of the methodologies of fabrication and preparation of hydrogels that includes the exosome loading properties of hydrogels for bone regenerative applications.
Highlights
Published: 8 June 2021In bone-related diseases, including bone defects, fractures, and tumors, and periodontitis, the regeneration of the lost bone is a critical consideration [1]
Biomaterials for bone regeneration are classified into the following three different sub-groups: (1) biomaterials of natural origin, consisting of harvested autologous bone grafts as well as allogenic grafts, including demineralized bone matrix, natural bone hydroxyapatite from animal bones, and naturally occurring non-animal materials; (2) synthetic materials consisting of ceramics such as tricalcium phosphate (TCP), bioactive glasses, and hyaluronic acid (HA); and (3) composite materials combined of different materials, including polymers and ceramics [19]
The target drug is incubated with exosomes, while in active modification a mechanical shear force is used to change the integrity of the exosome membranes, which permits the drug molecules to diffuse into the exosomes during the process of membrane alteration [83]
Summary
In bone-related diseases, including bone defects, fractures, and tumors, and periodontitis, the regeneration of the lost bone is a critical consideration [1]. Bone responds to injury by consecutive reactions, including inflammation, activation of the repair mechanisms, and various tissue remodeling phases [1,2]. Each of those phases is distinct by the cellular and molecular factors involved and the stage-specific tissue status, they partially overlap in time [3]. There are important factors that affect the procedure of mesenchymal stem cells’ differentiation into chondrocytes or osteoblasts These factors, among many others, include hypoxia, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), and nanoparticles. The secretome of MSCs provides a cell-free alternative containing a cocktail of various proteins and peptides, including growth factors and cytokines with paracrine properties, harboring angiogenic potential and anti-inflammatory effects proven to enhance bone regeneration in vivo [10]. To provide biomaterials with optimal physicochemical properties matching those of the target tissue, various methods for fabrication and template construction, including 3D printing, selfassembly, electrospinning, and phase-separation, are used [13]
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