title: Hydrogel based cartilaginous tissue regeneration: recent insights and technologies.
abstract: Hydrogels have been extensively employed as an attractive biomaterial to address numerous existing challenges in the fields of regenerative medicine and research because of their unique properties such as the capability to encapsulate cells, high water content, ease of modification, low toxicity, injectability, in situ spatial fit and biocompatibility. These inherent properties have created many opportunities for hydrogels as a scaffold or a cell/drug carrier in tissue regeneration, especially in the field of cartilaginous tissue such as articular cartilage and intervertebral discs. A concise overview of the anatomy/physiology of these cartilaginous tissues and their pathophysiology, epidemiology and existing clinical treatments will be briefly described. This review article will discuss the current state-of-the-art of various polymers and developing strategies that are explored in establishing different technologies for cartilaginous tissue regeneration. In particular, an innovative approach to generate scaffold-free cartilaginous tissue via a transient hydrogel scaffolding system for disease modeling to pre-clinical trials will be examined. Following that, the article reviews numerous hydrogel-based medical implants used in clinical treatment of osteoarthritis and degenerated discs. Last but not least, the challenges and future directions of hydrogel based medical implants in the regeneration of cartilaginous tissue are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637459, Singapore. DAWang@ntu.edu.sg YCHUAH001@e.ntu.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Yon Jin
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0579-6370
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chuah
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637459, Singapore. DAWang@ntu.edu.sg YCHUAH001@e.ntu.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peck
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical & Life Sciences, Singapore Polytechnic, 500 Dover Road, Singapore 139651, Singapore.
authors.forename: Jia En Josias
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 636921, Singapore and Pinnacle Spine & Scoliosis Centre, 3 Mount Elizabeth, Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, Singapore 228510, Singapore.
authors.forename: Hwan Tak
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Hee
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637459, Singapore. DAWang@ntu.edu.sg YCHUAH001@e.ntu.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Dong-An
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7927-1422
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D020219:Chondrogenesis; D006801:Humans; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012038:Regeneration; D044968:Regenerative Medicine / Q000379:methods; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011108:Polymers; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate