CHAPTER 3: Applications of Injectable Smart Materials in Tissue Engineering

Injectable smart hydrogels, as types of stimuli-responsive materials, include covalently crosslinked polymeric hydrogels as well as supramolecular hydrogels formed due to self-assembly. Their physiochemical properties make them suitable for applications in tissue engineering. In addition to acting as carriers of cells, they can further mediate or regulate the process of cell growth and tissue regeneration. Until now, injectable smart hydrogels have been successfully utilized to repair and replace a wide range of tissues, including bone, cartilage, skin, myocardium, tendon, and so on.