Formulation-Property Effects in Novel Injectable and Resilient Natural Polymer-Based Hydrogels for Soft Tissue Regeneration

Abstract

The development of injectable hydrogels for soft tissue regeneration has gained significant attention due to their minimally invasive application and ability to conform precisely to the shape of irregular tissue cavities. This study presents a novel injectable porous scaffold based on natural polymers that undergoes in situ crosslinking, forming a highly resilient hydrogel with tailorable mechanical and physical properties to meet the specific demands of soft tissue repair. By adjusting the formulation, we achieved a range of stiffness values that closely mimic the mechanical characteristics of native tissues while maintaining very high resilience (>90%). The effects of gelatin, alginate, and crosslinker concentrations, as well as porosity, on the hydrogel’s properties were elucidated. The main results indicated a compression modulus range of 2.7–89 kPa, which fits all soft tissues, and gelation times ranging from 5 to 30 s, which enable the scaffold to be successfully used in various operations. An increase in gelatin and crosslinker concentrations results in a higher modulus and lower gelation time, i.e., a stiffer hydrogel that is created in a shorter time. In vitro cell viability tests on human fibroblasts were performed and indicated high biocompatibility. Our findings demonstrate that these injectable hydrogel scaffolds offer a promising solution for enhancing soft tissue repair and regeneration, providing a customizable and resilient framework that is expected to support tissue integration and healing with minimal surgical intervention.