Chitosan hydrogels for regenerative engineering

Abstract

Research in the field of hydrogels has been actively growing for the past couple of decades. Hydrogels are crosslinked polymers with high water content. They can be prepared from natural, synthetic, and composite polymers using different chemical and physical crosslinking methods. Hydrogels have been widely explored for the delivery of bioactive molecules, drugs, and for other therapeutic applications. Chitosan-based hydrogels have unique advantages owing to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, antimicrobial activity, mucoadhesivity, and low toxicity. This chapter reviews the different methods used for preparing chitosan-based hydrogels and their applications as cell, protein, and drug delivery vehicles to support tissue regeneration.