Macrostructure and Microenvironment Biomimetic Hydrogel: Design, Properties, and Tissue Engineering Application

The field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine is rapidly advancing, with numerous novel and intriguing biomimetic materials being reported. Hydrogels, due to their unique structure and properties closely resembling biological tissues, stand as prime candidates for mimicking natural tissues in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications. In recent years, drawing inspiration from the intricate structures found in biological soft tissues, researchers have successfully created a range of biomimetic hydrogels. These hydrogels have been tailored for diverse applications in fields such as biomedicine, tissue engineering, flexible electronic devices, and beyond. However, designing and fabricating biomimetic synthetic materials with intricate structures, dynamic microenvironment systems, and integrated functionalities remains challenging. This article presents the latest research progress in macroscopic structural biomimetic hydrogels, as well as microenvironment biomimetic hydrogels, along with the most recent construction strategies, key design principles, and optimization mechanisms. It summarizes their potential applications in various domains such as tissue repair, signal detection and sensing, drug delivery, and more. Lastly, the challenges and future development directions in the preparation and application of biomimetic hydrogels are outlined.