Injectable Hydrogel with Magnesium Pore-Forming Agent
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current injectable hydrogels lack interpenetrating porous structures, which hinder the diffusion of nutrients and growth of blood vessels, resulting in low cell survival rates and limited effectiveness in tissue regeneration.
Innovation Solution
An injectable in situ pore-forming hydrogel system is developed, using magnesium particles to create interconnected pores within the hydrogel through hydrogen gas foaming, facilitating rapid nutrient infiltration and promoting cell survival and tissue repair.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If traditional template method or freeze-drying method is used to prepare porous hydrogel, then porous structure is achieved, but injectability is lost and process becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the hydrogel from solid preformed scaffold to injectable liquid precursor that transforms into porous gel in situ. The hydrogel precursor is injected in liquid form and then undergoes gelation to form the final porous structure, resolving the contradiction between injectability and porous structure formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces magnesium particles as an intermediary pore-forming agent that decomposes to create pores. These particles serve as temporary placeholders that are later removed, leaving interconnected porous structures without requiring complex preforming processes, thus maintaining both injectability and porous structure.
2Shape
If oxidized alginate microspheres are used as porogens, then in situ pore formation is achieved, but degradation is uneven and pores are unconnected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses magnesium particles with controlled size distribution (5-50 μm) as porogens. These particles create interconnected porous structures upon decomposition, ensuring uniform pore distribution and connectivity throughout the hydrogel matrix, which resolves the issue of uneven degradation and unconnected pores.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnesium particles serve as physical templates that are later removed, leaving behind a negative imprint of their structure as interconnected pores. This copying approach ensures uniform pore geometry and distribution that mirrors the particle arrangement, achieving consistent pore structure throughout the hydrogel.
3Shape
If preformed scaffold type hydrogel is used, then porous structure is achieved, but cell loading capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary mixing of cells with the hydrogel precursor before injection. The cells are incorporated into the liquid precursor formulation, ensuring uniform distribution throughout the final gel structure. This preliminary cell loading approach maintains cell viability and enables versatile cell incorporation without requiring post-formation cell seeding.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The porous hydrogel system enhances cell survival rates, supports vascularization, and promotes bone regeneration by providing a bioactive environment conducive to tissue repair and osteogenesis.
Implementation Method 1
using magnesium particles to create interconnected pores within the hydrogel through hydrogen gas foaming
Implementation Method 2
the microspheres degrade, leaving vacuolated pores in the gel
Implementation Method 3
using magnesium particles to create interconnected pores within the hydrogel through hydrogen gas foaming
Implementation Method 4
through hydrogen gas foaming, facilitating rapid nutrient infiltration
Data Source
AI summary
An injectable in situ pore-forming hydrogel system and its preparation method and use are provided. The injectable in situ pore-forming hydrogel system uses an injectable hydrogel as a continuous base phase, and isolated live cells and magnesium particles are distributed in the continuous base phase, where the injectable hydrogel is a precursor or prepolymer of hydrogel, which can form hydrogel by cross-linking. The injectable in situ pore-forming hydrogel system can be used to create pores while the gel encapsulates live cells, which makes use of both the injectability and porous structures of hydrogel, which is important for the repair of cavitary, surgically difficult and irregularly defective tissues; meanwhile, magnesium particles generate magnesium ions after the former undergoes gas production and degradation, which can improve the bioactivity of the gel and aid in tissue repair.