The development of effective biomaterials for regenerative medicine has long been hampered by several challenges, particularly in creating materials that can replicate the complex biological signaling and mechanical properties of living tissues. Traditional synthetic materials fall short in mimicking cellular communication, often requiring chemical additives to achieve therapeutic outcomes. A major limitation in creating extracellular vesicle (EV)-based biomaterials has been the difficulty in producing sufficient yields of EVs, which are critical for carrying biological signals like proteins and genetic material. Now, researchers have proposed a new injectable hydrogel system that uses EVs from milk to address longstanding barriers in the development of biomaterials for regenerative medicine.

This new hydrogel platform was created by researchers at Columbia Engineering (New York, NY, USA) and the University of Padova (Padua, Italy) using an unconventional approach. The platform leverages milk-derived EVs from yogurt to form injectable hydrogels where EVs serve a dual purpose: acting as bioactive cargo and also functioning as structural building blocks by crosslinking biocompatible polymers. The design space was further validated using EVs from mammalian cells and bacteria, showing the system's modularity and compatibility with diverse vesicle sources. The hydrogel incorporates EVs directly into its framework, enabling sustained release of bioactive signals, and can be locally injected into damaged tissue. The interdisciplinary collaboration combined expertise in agricultural EV sourcing with nanomaterials and polymer engineering to create a versatile, scalable biomaterial.

The hydrogel was tested in immunocompetent mice and demonstrated high biocompatibility, with no adverse reactions. Within one week, it promoted strong angiogenic activity, a vital step in tissue regeneration, and created an immune environment rich in anti-inflammatory cell types. Published in Matter, the study confirms the hydrogel's ability to mimic living tissue and facilitate healing processes. These findings suggest the material holds promise for advanced applications in wound healing and regenerative medicine, especially where current treatments lack long-term repair efficacy. The team is now investigating how the immune responses generated by the hydrogel may further guide tissue regeneration.

“Being able to design a material that closely mimics the body’s natural environment while also speed up the healing process opens a new world of possibilities for regenerative medicine,” said Artemis Margaronis, co-lead author of the study.

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