Recent Advances in Hydrogel Technology in Delivering Mesenchymal Stem Cell for Osteoarthritis Therapy
Xiangjiang Wang,
Wentao He,
Hao Huang,
Jiali Han,
Ruren Wang,
Hongyi Li,
Ying Long,
Guiqing Wang,
Xianjing Han
Affiliations
Xiangjiang Wang
The Affiliated Qingyuan Hospital (Qingyuan People’s Hospital), Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan 511518, China
Wentao He
The Affiliated Qingyuan Hospital (Qingyuan People’s Hospital), Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan 511518, China
Hao Huang
Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, Collage of Physics and Optoelectronics Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
Jiali Han
The Affiliated Qingyuan Hospital (Qingyuan People’s Hospital), Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan 511518, China
Ruren Wang
The Affiliated Qingyuan Hospital (Qingyuan People’s Hospital), Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan 511518, China
Hongyi Li
The Affiliated Qingyuan Hospital (Qingyuan People’s Hospital), Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan 511518, China
Ying Long
The Affiliated Qingyuan Hospital (Qingyuan People’s Hospital), Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan 511518, China
Guiqing Wang
The Affiliated Qingyuan Hospital (Qingyuan People’s Hospital), Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan 511518, China
Xianjing Han
The Affiliated Qingyuan Hospital (Qingyuan People’s Hospital), Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan 511518, China
Osteoarthritis (OA), a chronic joint disease affecting over 500 million individuals globally, is characterized by the destruction of articular cartilage and joint inflammation. Conventional treatments are insufficient for repairing damaged joint tissue, necessitating novel therapeutic approaches. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), with their potential for differentiation and self-renewal, hold great promise as a treatment for OA. However, challenges such as MSC viability and apoptosis in the ischemic joint environment hinder their therapeutic effectiveness. Hydrogels with biocompatibility and degradability offer a three-dimensional scaffold that support cell viability and differentiation, making them ideal for MSC delivery in OA treatment. This review discusses the pathological features of OA, the properties of MSCs, the challenges associated with MSC therapy, and methods for hydrogel preparation and functionalization. Furthermore, it highlights the advantages of hydrogel-based MSC delivery systems while providing insights into future research directions and the clinical potential of this approach.
