Recent advances in injectable hydrogels for osteoarthritis treatments
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by cartilage degradation, synovial inflammation, and subchondral bone alterations, poses significant challenges due to its high prevalence and associated disability. Injectable hydrogels have emerged as promising candidates for OA tre...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2025.1644222/full |
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| author | Jiayi Chen Mingcong Deng Jiangliang Wang Yuanwen Liu Ziran Hu Feifan Luan Huifeng Zhu Chenxiao Zheng |
| author_facet | Jiayi Chen Mingcong Deng Jiangliang Wang Yuanwen Liu Ziran Hu Feifan Luan Huifeng Zhu Chenxiao Zheng |
| author_sort | Jiayi Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by cartilage degradation, synovial inflammation, and subchondral bone alterations, poses significant challenges due to its high prevalence and associated disability. Injectable hydrogels have emerged as promising candidates for OA treatment due to their ability to deliver bioactive molecules directly to the affected joint, enhancing local efficacy while minimizing systemic side effects. This review focuses on recent advances in injectable hydrogels for OA treatment, emphasizing their structural design, functional properties, and therapeutic applications. We further discuss the advantages and limitations of natural, synthetic, and composite hydrogels, as well as innovative cross-linking strategies and stimuli-responsive behaviors. Thermosensitive, pH-responsive, enzyme-responsive, and multi-responsive hydrogels are highlighted for their potential to achieve intelligent drug delivery, inhibit cartilage degradation, and reduce inflammation. Overall, injectable hydrogels hold great promise for OA treatment and become an effective therapeutic option with further research and innovation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b9bf27db13ad47edbd05b8899b4d809f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-4185 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology |
| spelling | doaj-art-b9bf27db13ad47edbd05b8899b4d809f2025-08-20T04:02:13ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology2296-41852025-08-011310.3389/fbioe.2025.16442221644222Recent advances in injectable hydrogels for osteoarthritis treatmentsJiayi Chen0Mingcong Deng1Jiangliang Wang2Yuanwen Liu3Ziran Hu4Feifan Luan5Huifeng Zhu6Chenxiao Zheng7Zhongshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhongshan, Guangdong, ChinaShunde Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Foshan, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Orthopedics, Liuyang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Liuyang, Hunan, ChinaDepartment of Orthopedics, Luoding Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yunfu, Guangdong, ChinaBeijing University of Chinese Medicine Shenzhen Hospital (Longgang), Shenzhen, Guangdong, ChinaZhongshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhongshan, Guangdong, ChinaThe Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaZhongshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhongshan, Guangdong, ChinaOsteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by cartilage degradation, synovial inflammation, and subchondral bone alterations, poses significant challenges due to its high prevalence and associated disability. Injectable hydrogels have emerged as promising candidates for OA treatment due to their ability to deliver bioactive molecules directly to the affected joint, enhancing local efficacy while minimizing systemic side effects. This review focuses on recent advances in injectable hydrogels for OA treatment, emphasizing their structural design, functional properties, and therapeutic applications. We further discuss the advantages and limitations of natural, synthetic, and composite hydrogels, as well as innovative cross-linking strategies and stimuli-responsive behaviors. Thermosensitive, pH-responsive, enzyme-responsive, and multi-responsive hydrogels are highlighted for their potential to achieve intelligent drug delivery, inhibit cartilage degradation, and reduce inflammation. Overall, injectable hydrogels hold great promise for OA treatment and become an effective therapeutic option with further research and innovation.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2025.1644222/fullinjectable hydrogelsosteoarthritistherapeutic hydrogelsbiocompatibilitystimuli-responsive hydrogels |
| spellingShingle | Jiayi Chen Mingcong Deng Jiangliang Wang Yuanwen Liu Ziran Hu Feifan Luan Huifeng Zhu Chenxiao Zheng Recent advances in injectable hydrogels for osteoarthritis treatments Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology injectable hydrogels osteoarthritis therapeutic hydrogels biocompatibility stimuli-responsive hydrogels |
| title | Recent advances in injectable hydrogels for osteoarthritis treatments |
| title_full | Recent advances in injectable hydrogels for osteoarthritis treatments |
| title_fullStr | Recent advances in injectable hydrogels for osteoarthritis treatments |
| title_full_unstemmed | Recent advances in injectable hydrogels for osteoarthritis treatments |
| title_short | Recent advances in injectable hydrogels for osteoarthritis treatments |
| title_sort | recent advances in injectable hydrogels for osteoarthritis treatments |
| topic | injectable hydrogels osteoarthritis therapeutic hydrogels biocompatibility stimuli-responsive hydrogels |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2025.1644222/full |
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