Hydrogels

Hydrogels are hydrophilic polymer networks, which retain and absorb large amounts of water. The hydrogels are easily deformed systems. They consist of two components: a colloidally dispersed solid with long and branched parts and a liquid, often water, as dispersant.

Hydrogels are appealing as scaffold material because they are structurally similar to the extracellular matrix of many tissues, can often be processed under relatively mild conditions, and may be delivered in a minimally invasive manner (injectability). Hydrogels are also able to fill irregular shaped holes.

Hydrogels have the ability to be mixed with cells, such as chondrocytes prior to the injection and form the gel in vivo. Chondrocytes are needed for tissue repair.