REVIEW article
Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.
Sec. Biomaterials
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2025.1601154
This article is part of the Research TopicAdvances in Nanomedicine and Drug Delivery Approaches in Inflammatory-diseased ConditionsView all articles
Engineering Extracellular Matrix-Based Hydrogels for Intervertebral Disc Regeneration
Provisionally accepted
- 1Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- 2CÚRAM, SFI Research Centre for Medical Devices, University of Galway, Ireland, Galway, Ireland
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Lower back pain (LBP) is a major health concern, especially in older adults. A key aetiological factor is intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. It is mediated by dysregulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) and inflammation. In recent years, regenerative therapies have garnered attention for their potential to restore disc function by addressing the underlying biological alterations within the IVD. This review focuses on the comprehensive understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the IVD, highlighting its life cycle from embryonic development, and maturation to degenerative phenotype. We describe current treatments for managing LBP caused by IVD degeneration. This review emphasizes on the recent advancements in hydrogel engineering, highlighting natural, synthetic, and composite hydrogels and their application in ECM-targeted regenerative therapy for IVD degeneration. By exploring innovations in hydrogel technology, including improvements in crosslinking techniques and controlled degradation rates-we discuss how these materials could enhance IVD regeneration and potentially be used for the management of LBP. With their enhanced biomimicry, hydrogel-based ECM mimics offer a promising pathway for developing effective, durable therapies that address the root causes of disc degeneration, providing new hope for individuals living with chronic LBP.
Keywords: Intervertebral Disc Degeneration, Lower Back pain, Hydrogel, Extracellular Matrix, Biomaterials
Received: 27 Mar 2025; Accepted: 16 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 KMAIL, Razak and Mohd Isa. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Isma Liza Mohd Isa, Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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