Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Bioactive hydrogels have garnered considerable attention for endogenous tissue regeneration owing to their affordability, minimal regulatory barriers, and ability to harness the body’s intrinsic healing potential. Recently, inorganic-ion-releasing hydrogels have been developed as bioactive matrices, promoting wound healing and tissue repair through external cellular stimulation. Among various therapeutic inorganic ions, zinc ions (Zn 2+ ), in particular, play essential roles in wound healing by modulating cell proliferation and angiogenesis and facilitating tissue remodeling. Numerous strategies have been developed to fabricate Zn 2+ -releasing biomaterials; however, these methods often encounter challenges, including complex fabrication processes, rapid ion release, and limited mechanical stability. To address these challenges, we developed a novel Zn 2+ -releasing bioactive hydrogel (Zn-Gel) as a bioactive matrix that supported wound healing via a zinc peroxide (ZnO 2 )-mediated cross-linking reaction. Zn-Gel was fabricated by combining thiolated gelatin with ZnO 2 solutions, forming a hydrogel with controllable Zn 2+ release kinetics that depended on ZnO 2 concentration and enabled sustained release of Zn 2+ for up to 14 d. Zn-Gel demonstrated excellent cytocompatibility and tissue compatibility in both in vitro and in vivo studies. Interestingly, Zn-Gel accelerated wound healing by promoting cell proliferation, blood vessel formation, hair follicle formation, and collagen deposition. Therefore, Zn-Gel holds great potential as an advanced bioactive material for wound healing and tissue regeneration.
Source: Biomaterials Research
DOI: 10.34133/bmr.0238
Authors: Yeonjeong Kim, Kyung Min Park
Institution: Incheon National University
Language: English
Topic: Wound Healing and Treatments
Subfield: Rehabilitation
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,700
Awards: G3029405624, G6766398641
OpenAlex ID: W4413072025