Hydrogels have become very popular due to their unique properties such as high water content, softness, flexibility and biocompatibility. Natural and synthetic hydrophilic polymers can be physically or chemically cross-linked in order to obtain hydrogels. Their resemblance to living tissue opens up many opportunities for biomedical applications. At present, hydrogels are mainly used in contact lenses, wound dressings, drug delivery, and tissue engineering. The potential of hydrogels in biomedicine has not yet been fully explored, so they may have even more amazing applications in the future.
Major Applications of Hydrogels in Biomedicine
Major applications of hydrogels in biomedicine include, but are not limited to, the following.
In 1960, Wichterle and Lim first described hydrogels based on poly-2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (PHEMA) for the use of contact lenses. Since then, various hydrogels have been investigated for making hydrogel contact lenses such as poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel. At present, silicone-based hydrogels are one of the most dominant materials of contact lenses. Contact lenses based on hydrogels have properties like high water content, oxygen permeability, biocompatible, comfort to wear, continuous tear film for clear vision, permeable to ions for maintaining movement, and resistant to tear film accumulation.
Wound dressings are materials mainly polymers, in the form of gauzes, gels, hydrogels, hydrocolloids, etc. Among them, hydrogels are the most promising approach in wound healing. Hydrogels act as an ideal wound dressing because they can provide a moist environment at the wound site, help remove exudates from wounds, and prevent infection. Currently, hydrogel dressings have been commercialized and are produced by many companies.
There is increasing interest in hydrogels as drug delivery systems due to their three-dimensional network structures with high water content. This property of hydrogels helps control the release of drugs. Two methods are used to load drugs on the hydrogels. In the first method, the polymer is mixed with drugs followed by polymerization along with crosslinkers and the second method is the formed hydrogels are immersed in drug solution[1]. Hydrogel drug delivery systems can be used for ophthalmic, vaginal, transdermal, subcutaneous, oral, rectal applications, etc.
Hydrogels have gained great interest in tissue engineering due to their resemblance to living tissue, which can be applied as space filling agents, as delivery vehicles for bioactive substances or as three-dimensional structures that organize cells and present stimuli to ensure the development of a required tissue. Common approaches for hydrogel scaffold fabrication include lyophilization, emulsification, solvent casting-leaching, gas foaming-leaching, microfluidic, photolithography, micro molding, and 3D printing. Although extensive studies have been done on hydrogels in tissue engineering applications, the commercialization of these products is still in progression[2].
What Can We Do?
Hydrogels are the leading biomaterial candidate in the biomedicine field and their potential has not been fully explored yet. Alfa Chemistry is an expert in hydrogels, focusing on exploring the biomedical applications of hydrogels for many years. If you have questions about the application of hydrogels in biomedicine, please contact us. We are confident that we can provide you with a professional solution.
References
- Aswathy, S.H.; et al. Commercial hydrogels for biomedical applications. Heliyon. 2020, 4(6): 3719.
- Enrica Caló, E.; et al. Biomedical applications of hydrogels: a review of patents and commercial products. European Polymer Journal. 2015, 65: 252-267.
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