Fabrication of injectable hydrogels via bio-orthogonal chemistry for tissue engineering

Abstract

Hydrogels, especially injectable hydrogels, are promising materials due to their high water content and mechanical properties similar to natural tissues. Compared to the traditional hydrogels, injectable hydrogels can form in situ and reduce the invasiveness, which in turn reduces surgical and recovery costs. The past few years have seen a significant interest in the development of injectable hydrogels in research and clinical treatment. However, how to construct injectable biocompatible hydrogels rapidly and efficiently with proper mechanical properties remains a challenge. The ‘Click’ reaction, with its property of easy preparation and rapid reaction rate, has emerged as the most versatile and innovative technology, especially the bio-orthogonal reactions which provide a new opportunity as a unique tool for fabricating fast-forming injectable biocompatible hydrogels. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in fabricating injectable hydrogels via bio-orthogonal reactions.