Ultrasound-Activated Piezoelectric Hydrogel Scaffold for Synergistic Immunomodulation and Angiogenesis in Accelerated Wound Healing
August 2025
in “
Acta Biomaterialia
”
Studysummary This study presents a novel hydrogel scaffold made from tilapia collagen, which when activated by ultrasound, reprograms macrophages to promote wound healing, enhance angiogenesis, and stimulate hair follicle regeneration, offering a potential new method for treating inflammatory wounds.
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The study introduces a novel ultrasound-activated piezoelectric hydrogel scaffold made from tilapia collagen, oxidized gellan gum, and amino-modified barium titanate nanoparticles (Col/OG/BTN) to enhance wound healing. This scaffold dynamically regulates immune responses and promotes angiogenesis by reprogramming macrophages from a pro-inflammatory to a pro-healing state via the PI3K/Akt and TNF pathways. In vivo tests on rats showed significant reductions in inflammation, increased angiogenesis, collagen deposition, and hair follicle regeneration, leading to high-quality wound healing. The Col/OG/2%BTN hydrogel demonstrated the most significant improvement, suggesting its potential for non-invasive therapeutic applications in regenerative medicine.