Chitosan Hydrogel as Tissue Engineering Scaffolds for Vascular Regeneration Applications

The document reviews the use of chitosan hydrogels in tissue engineering scaffolds for vascular regeneration. Chitosan hydrogels are biocompatible and have properties such as adsorption, coagulation induction, anti-inflammatory properties, drug loading, and sustained release. They are ideal for tissue engineering due to their high porosity and bioadhesive properties. The document also discusses the modification of these hydrogels for better vascular regeneration applications. Chitosan hydrogels can be used to create double-layer vascular grafts with anticoagulant properties. They can also be enhanced with artificial additives like nanoparticles and nanofibers, which can act as delivery vehicles for drugs and bioagents. Chitosan hydrogels can be loaded with stem cells, exosomes, or proteins to promote wound healing and vascular regeneration. However, they face challenges such as insufficient mechanical properties, low angiogenic activity, and low blood compatibility, which can be addressed by optimizing the crosslinkers, preparation methods, and domain modification.