» Articles » PMID: 34811960

Hydrogels and Hydrogel Nanocomposites: Enhancing Healthcare Through Human and Environmental Treatment

Overview
Date 2021 Nov 23
PMID 34811960
Citations 20
Authors
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

Humans are constantly exposed to exogenous chemicals throughout their life, which can lead to a multitude of negative health impacts. Advanced materials can play a key role in preventing or mitigating these impacts through a wide variety of applications. The tunable properties of hydrogels and hydrogel nanocomposites (e.g., swelling behavior, biocompatibility, stimuli responsiveness, functionality, etc.) have deemed them ideal platforms for removal of environmental contaminants, detoxification, and reduction of body burden from exogenous chemical exposures for prevention of disease initiation, and advanced treatment of chronic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. In this review, three main junctures where the use of hydrogel and hydrogel nanocomposite materials can intervene to positively impact human health are highlighted: 1) preventing exposures to environmental contaminants, 2) prophylactic treatments to prevent chronic disease initiation, and 3) treating chronic diseases after they have developed.

Citing Articles

Recent applications of stimulus-responsive smart hydrogels for osteoarthritis therapy.

Xu Z, Liu J, Hu H, Ma J, Yang H, Chen J Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2025; 13:1539566.

PMID: 40035023 PMC: 11872905. DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2025.1539566.


Nature-derived microneedles with metal-polyphenolic networks encapsulation for chronic soft tissue defects repair: Responding and remodeling the regenerative microenvironment.

Zhu C, Fan Z, Cheng Z, Yin J, Qin L, Zhao X Mater Today Bio. 2025; 31:101539.

PMID: 40026624 PMC: 11869007. DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101539.


Tumor cell membrane-based vaccines: A potential boost for cancer immunotherapy.

Yang M, Zhou J, Lu L, Deng D, Huang J, Tang Z Exploration (Beijing). 2024; 4(6):20230171.

PMID: 39713208 PMC: 11655317. DOI: 10.1002/EXP.20230171.


Hydrogel promotes bone regeneration through various mechanisms: a review.

Zheng Y, Ke Z, Hu G, Tong S Biomed Tech (Berl). 2024; .

PMID: 39571066 DOI: 10.1515/bmt-2024-0391.


Use of Decellularized Bio-Scaffolds for the Generation of a Porcine Artificial Intestine.

Arcuri S, Pennarossa G, Prasadani M, Gandolfi F, Brevini T Methods Protoc. 2024; 7(5).

PMID: 39452790 PMC: 11510128. DOI: 10.3390/mps7050076.


References
1.
van Duijnhoven S, Robillard M, Nicolay K, Grull H . Tumor targeting of MMP-2/9 activatable cell-penetrating imaging probes is caused by tumor-independent activation. J Nucl Med. 2011; 52(2):279-86. DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.110.082503. View

2.
Douglas T, Pilarz M, Lopez-Heredia M, Brackman G, Schaubroeck D, Balcaen L . Composites of gellan gum hydrogel enzymatically mineralized with calcium-zinc phosphate for bone regeneration with antibacterial activity. J Tissue Eng Regen Med. 2015; 11(5):1610-1618. DOI: 10.1002/term.2062. View

3.
Yun K, Wang Z . Target/signalling pathways of natural plant-derived radioprotective agents from treatment to potential candidates: A reverse thought on anti-tumour drugs. Biomed Pharmacother. 2017; 91:1122-1151. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.05.001. View

4.
Suk W, Heacock M, Trottier B, Amolegbe S, Avakian M, Carlin D . Benefits of basic research from the Superfund Research Program. Rev Environ Health. 2020; 35(2):85-109. DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2019-0104. View

5.
Howell C, Markaryan E, Allgar V, Kemppinen A, Khovanov A, Pandya P . Enterosgel for the treatment of adults with acute diarrhoea in a primary care setting: a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open Gastroenterol. 2019; 6(1):e000287. PMC: 6505981. DOI: 10.1136/bmjgast-2019-000287. View