Ultrafast crosslinking, strongly adhesive <i>de novo</i> protein hydrogels promote cartilage regeneration.

ABSTRACT: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent degenerative joint disease and the leading cause of chronic pain and disability, affecting millions of people worldwide. In the early stages, shallow cartilage lesions serve as the primary pathological driver, leading to progressive cartilage deterioration and the development of OA. These lesions are characterized by irregular shape and depth, with an inherent anti-adhesive extracellular matrix (ECM), and a poor niche for tissue regeneration, currently lacking effective clinical interventions. Despite extensive efforts, few tissue engineering-based therapies simultaneously address both the demands of robust adhesion to host tissue, support for cell adhesion, and promotion of regeneration for partial-thickness cartilage defects. Here, we report a de nov

SUBMITTER: Nie K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12596684 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature