Hydrogel for Wound Healing
Dressings play a pivotal role in managing wounds as they not only provide protection against external infections but also expedite the healing process. Among the wide range of available dressing materials, hydrogels have gained increasing attention due to their adjustable chemical, physical, and biological properties along with their ability to absorb and retain significant amounts of water.
Introduction to Wound Healing
The impairment that compromises the integrity of the skin has the potential to affect local epidermal tissue and the vascular network, while also potentially disrupting the intricate structure of the dermis depending on how deep the wound is. The process of wound healing follows a sequential pattern involving a series of complex biochemical reactions.
- Homeostasis
- Inflammation
- Proliferation
- Remodeling
Proper care for wounds is essential regardless of whether it is a minor cut or a major ulcer. Wound dressings play an important role in managing wounds.
- Providing protection against potential external harm and facilitating cell movement within the wound.
- Maintaining an environment with adequate moisture levels, promoting migration of epidermal cells, and stimulating blood vessel formation (angiogenesis).
- Offering defense against bacterial infections.
Fig. 1 The stages of wound repair and their major cellular components. (Wilkinson HN, et al., 2020)
Utilization of Hydrogel for Wound Healing
Compared to conventional dressings like bandages and gauze, hydrogel dressings are widely acknowledged for their exceptional characteristics.
Mechanical properties of hydrogels that align well with biological tissues and an impressive ability to retain water, ensuring the wound remains moist while continuously absorbing exudate.
Timely biodegradation of hydrogels prevents any secondary harm during dressing replacement, making them highly suitable materials for promoting wound healing.
In contrast to emerging alternatives such as foam and films, hydrogels possess a three-dimensional porous network structure akin to the natural extracellular matrix (ECM). This framework facilitates cell proliferation and migration effectively. Importantly, it is possible to design hydrogel dressings structurally and biochemically in order to acquire various advantageous properties.
Fig. 2 Anti-inflammatory hydrogel dressings can promote wound healing. (Huang C, et al., 2022)
Hydrogels can be engineered to possess various functional characteristics such as compatibility with living tissues, capability of breaking down naturally over time, adhesive properties, potential for promoting blood vessel formation, and even abilities to combat microbial infections, reduce inflammation, and stimulate new blood vessel growth. These attributes make hydrogels an excellent choice for facilitating the healing process of wounds. The field of wound healing utilizes a diverse range of hydrogels.
- Biodegradable Hydrogels
- Bioadhesive Hydrogels
- Anti-Inflammatory Hydrogels
- Antimicrobial Hydrogels
- Pro-Angiogenic Hydrogels
- Drug or Agent Releasing Hydrogels
Fig. 3 The fabrication of a drug releasing hydrogel. (Firlar I, et al., 2022)
The Hydrogel Development Services We Provide
With professional equipment and experienced specialists, Matexcel provides high-quality polysaccharide-based hydrogel development Services, peptide/protein-based hydrogel development services, fibrin-based hydrogel development services and collagen-based hydrogel development services. Please contact us for more information.
References
- Wilkinson HN.; Hardman MJ. Wound healing: cellular mechanisms and pathological outcomes. Open Biol. 2020;10(9):200223.
- Huang C.; et al. Anti-inflammatory hydrogel dressings and skin wound healing. Clin Transl Med. 2022;12(11):e1094.
- Firlar I.; et al. Functional Hydrogels for Treatment of Chronic Wounds. Gels. 2022 Feb 17;8(2):127.