Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications

Hydrogels are three-dimensional polymer networks that absorb and retain large amounts of water while maintaining a defined structure, giving them mechanical and chemical properties that closely mimic living tissue. Researchers study how varying the composition, crosslinking density, and architecture of these materials controls everything from stiffness and degradation rate to the way cells adhere and proliferate within them. A central goal is designing hydrogels that respond to specific biological cues—pH, temperature, or enzymatic activity—so that drug release or structural changes happen precisely when and where the body needs them. Open questions include how to engineer scaffolds that guide the regeneration of complex, heterogeneous tissues such as cartilage or cardiac muscle, and how to translate materials that perform well in the laboratory into formulations that are safe, scalable, and clinically viable.

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57,473

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1,450,126

Keywords

HydrogelsBiomedical ApplicationsTissue EngineeringStimuli-Responsive PolymersDrug DeliveryScaffold Design