Harnessing the potential of hydrogels for advanced therapeutic applications: current achievements and future directions

The applications of hydrogels have expanded significantly due to their versatile, highly tunable properties and breakthroughs in biomaterial technologies. In this review, we cover the major achievements and the potential of hydrogels in therapeutic applications, focusing primarily on two areas: emerging cell-based therapies and promising non-cell therapeutic modalities. Within the context of cell therapy, we discuss the capacity of hydrogels to overcome the existing translational challenges faced by mainstream cell therapy paradigms, provide a detailed discussion on the advantages and principal design considerations of hydrogels for boosting the efficacy of cell therapy, as well as list specific examples of their applications in different disease scenarios. We then explore the potential of hydrogels in drug delivery, physical intervention therapies, and other non-cell therapeutic areas (e.g., bioadhesives, artificial tissues, and biosensors), emphasizing their utility beyond mere delivery vehicles. Additionally, we complement our discussion on the latest progress and challenges in the clinical application of hydrogels and outline future research directions, particularly in terms of integration with advanced biomanufacturing technologies. This review aims to present a comprehensive view and critical insights into the design and selection of hydrogels for both cell therapy and non-cell therapies, tailored to meet the therapeutic requirements of diverse diseases and situations.

Engineering the next generation of cell-based therapeutics

Cell-based therapeutics are an emerging modality with the potential to treat many currently intractable diseases through uniquely powerful modes of action. Despite notable recent clinical and commercial successes, cell-based therapies continue to face numerous challenges that limit their widespread translation and commercialization, including identification of the appropriate cell source, generation of a sufficiently viable, potent and safe product that meets patient- and disease-specific needs, and the development of scalable manufacturing processes. These hurdles are being addressed through the use of cutting-edge basic research driven by next-generation engineering approaches, including genome and epigenome editing, synthetic biology and the use of biomaterials.

Pericytes and cardiac stem cells: Common features and peculiarities

Clinical data and basic research indicate that the structural and functional alterations that characterize the evolution of cardiac disease towards heart failure may be, at least in part, reversed. This paradigm shift is due to the accumulation of evidence indicating that, in peculiar settings, cardiomyocytes may be replenished. Moving from the consideration that cardiomyocytes are rapidly withdrawn from the cell cycle after birth, independent laboratories have tested the hypothesis that cardiac resident stem/progenitor cells resided in mammalian hearts and were important for myocardial repair. After almost two decades of intensive investigation, several (but partially overlapping) cardiac resident stem/progenitor cell populations have been identified. These primitive cells are characterized by mesenchymal features, unique properties that distinguish them from mesodermal progenitors residing in other tissues, and heterogeneous embryological origins (that include the neural crest and the epicardium). A further layer of complexity is related to the nature, in vivo localization and properties of mesodermal progenitors residing in adult tissues. Intriguingly, these latter, whose possible perivascular pericyte/mural cell origin has been shown, have been identified in human hearts too. However, their exact anatomical localization, pathophysiological role, and their relationship with cardiac stem/progenitor cells are emerging only recently. Therefore, aim of this review is to discuss the different origin, the distinct nature, and the complementary effect of cardiac stem cells and pericytes supporting regenerative strategies based on the combined use of both myogenic and angiogenic factors.