Microfluidics Fabrication of Micrometer‐Sized Hydrogels with Precisely Controlled Geometries for Biomedical Applications. Issue 16 (23rd June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wei, Zhenyang; Wang, Shiqi; Hirvonen, Jouni; Santos, Hélder A.; Li, Wei
• Is Part Of: Advanced healthcare materials. Volume 11:Issue 16(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-06-23
• Subjects: biomedical applications -- geometries -- microfluidics -- micrometer‐sized hydrogels; Biomedical materials -- Periodicals; 610.28
• DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202200846
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2192-2640

Abstract

Abstract: Micrometer‐sized hydrogels are cross‐linked three‐dimensional network matrices with high‐water contents and dimensions ranging from several to hundreds of micrometers. Due to their excellent biocompatibility and capability to mimic physiological microenvironments in vivo, micrometer‐sized hydrogels have attracted much attention in the biomedical engineering field. Their biological properties and applications are primarily influenced by their chemical compositions and geometries. However, inhomogeneous morphologies and uncontrollable geometries limit traditional micrometer‐sized hydrogels obtained by bulk mixing. In contrast, microfluidic technology holds great potential for the fabrication of micrometer‐sized hydrogels since their geometries, sizes, structures, compositions, and physicochemical properties can be precisely manipulated on demand based on the excellent control over fluids. Therefore, micrometer‐sized hydrogels fabricated by microfluidic technology have been applied in the biomedical field, including drug encapsulation, cell encapsulation, and tissue engineering. This review introduces micrometer‐sized hydrogels with various geometries synthesized by different microfluidic devices, highlighting their advantages in various biomedical applications over those from traditional approaches. Overall, emerging microfluidic technologies enrich the geometries and morphologies of hydrogels and accelerate translation for industrial production and clinical applications. Abstract : Micrometer‐sized hydrogels have been extensively studied and used for biomedical applications and microfluidic technology has excellent prospects in the fabrication of micrometer‐sized hydrogels with controllable and homogeneous geometries. This review presents an in‐depth introduction of the microfluidics‐mediated fabrication of micrometer‐sized hydrogels with different geometries. The recent progress of the micrometer‐sized hydrogels in biomedical applications is discussed.