Application of polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering

The present study aims to analyze polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels and their application in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Polyvinyl alcohol is a synthetic biodegradable polymer that has no smell or taste and readily dissolves in hot water. Depending on the degree of polymerization, four groups of polyvinyl alcohol can be distinguished: low, medium, high, and ultra-high molecular weight. Since polyvinyl alcohol is non-toxic to biological objects, it is widely used in tissue engineering, specifically in the production of hydrogel compositions. Hydrogels are obtained via physical or chemical cross-linking methods, with preference given to the physical freeze-thaw method due to its simplicity and the absence of such chemical activators as glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde, which are toxic to cell cultures in tissue engineering. Polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels are widely used in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Due to their ability to absorb and retain large amounts of fluid and form films, polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels are employed to treat damaged skin. Such hydrogels are additionally loaded with mesenchymal stem cells, which can differentiate into various cell types, reduce inflammatory reactions and scarring, induce angiogenesis, and regulate extracellular matrix remodeling. Also, hydrogels are loaded with growth factors that stimulate targeted cell differentiation for the regeneration of damaged bone, cartilage, and tendon tissues, as well as medicinal substances for targeted, long-acting therapy. Thus, due to their adjustable physicochemical properties, polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels are considered unique and offer great promise in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.