Hyaluronic Acid Microplates for Intra-articular Lubrication and Cartilage Protection in Post-traumatic Osteoarthritis.

ABSTRACT: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder, characterized by a vicious cycle of synovial inflammation and cartilage degradation. Intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid (HA)-based products, one of the currently available treatments, provides only temporary symptomatic relief without addressing the underlying inflammation. Here, we engineered several configurations of 20 × 5 μm square-shaped HA-based hydrogel microparticles (μHA) by photopolymerizing HA-methacrylate chains within a sacrificial template. The μHA mechano-pharmacological properties were tuned by adjusting the HA concentration, molecular weight, and degree of methacrylation, resulting in microparticles with a Young's modulus ranging from a few tens (30 kPa) to a few hundred (200 kPa) kilopascals; a structure sta

SUBMITTER: Fragassi A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12598699 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature