High-Throughput Electrospinning System| Hydrogels with programmed spatiotemporalmechanicalcuesforstem cell-assisted boneregeneration

Professors Wang Wei & Cao Yi from Nanjing University et al.: Hydrogels with Programmable Spatiotemporal Mechanical Signals for Stem Cell-Assisted Bone Regeneration

Challenge: Hydrogels are widely used in stem cell tissue regeneration, providing a favorable environment for cell survival, differentiation and integration with surrounding tissues. However, designing hydrogels for hard tissue regeneration like bone poses significant challenges.

Method: Professors Wang Wei, Cao Yi, Jiang Qing and Associate Professor Xue Bin from Nanjing University introduced macroporous hydrogels with spatiotemporally programmable mechanical properties for stem cell-driven bone regeneration. Using liquid-liquid phase separation and interfacial supramolecular self-assembly of protein fibers, the macroporous structure of the hydrogel provides ample space to prevent contact inhibition during proliferation.

Innovation 1: The hydrogel's macroporous structure provides sufficient space for stem cell proliferation to avoid contact inhibition; the rigid protein fiber-coated macroporous structure provides continuous mechanical signal stimulation for osteogenic differentiation of stem cells and resists mechanical damage.

Innovation 2: On a temporal scale, the hydrogel exhibits adjustable degradation rates that can synchronize to some extent with new tissue formation rates. By integrating local mechanical heterogeneity, macroporous structure, surface chemistry and regenerative degradability, the authors validated the regenerative efficacy of these stem cell-encapsulated hydrogels in rabbit and pig models.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59016-6