Abstract
Tissue engineering is becoming an effective strategy for repairing cartilage damage. Synthesized nanocomposite hydrogels mimic the structure of natural cartilage extracellular matrices (ECMs), are biocompatible, and exhibit nano–bio effects in response to external stimuli. These inherent characteristics make nanocomposite hydrogels promising scaffold materials for cartilage tissue engineering. This review summarizes the advances made in the field of nanocomposite hydrogels for artificial cartilage. We discuss, in detail, their preparation methods and scope of application. The challenges involved for the application of hydrogel nanocomposites for cartilage repair are also highlighted.
Highlights
Articular cartilage tissue damage is a common clinical diagnosis [1], typically caused by sports-related injuries, accidental trauma, or inflammation, including osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
In vitro studies have reported that the scaffold had good biocompatibility and cell adhesion, and the expression of cartilage-specific extracellular matrices (ECMs) genes, such as type II collagen and aggrecan, results suggest that the scaffold effectively promotes the generation of ECM [22]
In-depth experimentation concerning the development of exosomes, the selection of hydrogel materials, and the mechanisms of cartilage repair will be needed before hydrogels loaded with stem-cell exosomes can be used in the clinical treatment of cartilage trauma
Summary
Articular cartilage tissue damage is a common clinical diagnosis [1], typically caused by sports-related injuries, accidental trauma, or inflammation, including osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The common methods for cartilage tissue repair involve cartilage or chondrocyte transplantation. Hydrogel scaffolds with physiological elasticity, a smooth surface, and a high water content can better simulate the ECM microenvironment of natural cartilage and are promising candidates for cartilage regeneration [5,6]. Significant progress has been made in the preparation of hydrogels containing nanocomposites. These hydrogels are easy to prepare, have desirable mechanical properties, and can enhance the stimulation response by the synergistic effect of nanoparticles; as such, they have attracted much attention in the tissue-engineering field [9]. The nanocomposite hydrogels commonly used for cartilage tissue repair can be classified into the following types: carbon-based material, polymer nanoparticles, metal and metal oxide nanocomposites, inorganic nonmetallic nanoparticles [10], and new modified materials, such as cold-air plasma (Figure 1)
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