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This study addresses the core issue of difficult neuroinflammation and repair after traumatic brain injury (TBI), proposing an innovative solution using biomaterials. The research team designed an injectable co-assembled hydrogel (EG-gel), whose core is the direct integration of embryonic stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles (ESC-sEV) and glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) molecules through non-covalent interactions. This hydrogel not only has excellent tissue adhesion and self-healing capabilities, but also effectively retains sEVs at the injury site. It has also demonstrated outstanding neuroprotective and functional recovery effects in animal models. Mechanistic studies show that this material can achieve "spatiotemporal sequential regulation of anti-inflammation and regeneration": the GA component leads to early inflammation inhibition, while sEVs drive subsequent angiogenesis and neuronal repair. The study titled "Small extracellular vesicles integrated through herbal hydrogels for spatiotemporal immune regulation and neurovascular repair after traumatic brain injury" was published in the top journal of materials science, "Bioactive Materials".
Innovation Points
01 "Active ingredient" as a structural unit
For the first time, the sEV itself was utilized as a functional "gel factor" for constructing the hydrogel, rather than simply being encapsulated. This approach achieved the integration of biological activity and material structure.
02 Clear Mechanism of Spatial and Temporal Division of Labor
Through multi-omics analysis and experimental verification, the synergistic and specialized roles of GA and sEV in the material during different stages of injury repair (inflammatory phase and repair phase) were clearly elucidated, providing a direct basis for designing temporal treatment strategies.
03 Collaborative Assembly Rather Than Simple Mixing
By taking advantage of the amphiphilicity of GA molecules, they were able to undergo molecular-level co-assembly with the sEV membrane through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions, resulting in a stable and ordered hierarchical structure. This is the foundation for the superior material properties.
Journal Name: Bioactive Materials
Publication Date: March 6, 2026
DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2026.02.056 R & D team: Yao Wu, Yuanyuan Sun, Jingjing Chen, Mingrui Hu, Xindi Zhang, Xinyu Xiong, Zhe Yu, Xiya Yang, Hui Li, Yang Wang
