Bioactive Materials (Feb 2025)
Extracellular Vesicles-in-Hydrogel (EViH) targeting pathophysiology for tissue repair
Abstract
Regenerative medicine endeavors to restore damaged tissues and organs utilizing biological approaches. Utilizing biomaterials to target and regulate the pathophysiological processes of injured tissues stands as a crucial method in propelling this field forward. The Extracellular Vesicles-in-Hydrogel (EViH) system amalgamates the advantages of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and hydrogels, rendering it a prominent biomaterial in regenerative medicine with substantial potential for clinical translation. This review elucidates the development and benefits of the EViH system in tissue regeneration, emphasizing the interaction and impact of EVs and hydrogels. Furthermore, it succinctly outlines the pathophysiological characteristics of various types of tissue injuries such as wounds, bone and cartilage injuries, cardiovascular diseases, nerve injuries, as well as liver and kidney injuries, underscoring how EViH systems target these processes to address related tissue damage. Lastly, it explores the challenges and prospects in further advancing EViH-based tissue regeneration, aiming to impart a comprehensive understanding of EViH. The objective is to furnish a thorough overview of EViH in enhancing regenerative medicine applications and to inspire researchers to devise innovative tissue engineering materials for regenerative medicine.