Polysaccharides self-healing hydrogel for skin regeneration

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Damaged skin is prone to infection and impaired healing, making efficient wound care materials critical. Polysaccharide-based self-healing hydrogels have demonstrated significant potential in skin regeneration due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ability to mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM). This review summarizes the fabrication techniques, core polysaccharide materials, and challenges of these hydrogels. Hydrogel preparation primarily involves chemical cross-linking, physical cross-linking, and three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting. Chemical cross-linking confers high mechanical strength but limited self-healing capacity, while physical cross-linking enables rapid self-healing via dynamic non-covalent interactions, responsive to stimuli like pH and temperature. 3D bioprinting allows customizable tissue-like structures with precise control over cell distribution and bioactive molecule release. Key polysaccharides include alginate, chitosan, hyaluronic acid (HA), cellulose, and dextran. Alginate forms reversible networks via calcium ion cross-linking, suitable for wound dressings and tissue engineering. Chitosan, with amino and hydroxyl groups, exhibits antibacterial activity and promotes cell proliferation, widely used in infected wounds. HA achieves self-healing through dynamic covalent bonds, accelerating collagen deposition and angiogenesis. Cellulose deriva

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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