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. 2026 Oct 16;14:1976532. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2026.1976532

FIGURE 3.

Infographic comparing natural and synthetic hydrogels, listing examples and properties of each, and illustrating three hydrogel cross-linking strategies—chemical, physical, and enzymatic—highlighting their network structures and construction methods.

Classification and crosslinking strategies of biomaterial hydrogels for EV delivery. Hydrogels are broadly classified as natural or synthetic according to their material origin. Natural hydrogels generally exhibit favorable biocompatibility, biodegradability, and extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimicking properties, whereas synthetic hydrogels provide greater tunability of physicochemical and mechanical properties. Hydrogel networks can be formed through chemical, physical, or enzymatic crosslinking, which influence network stability, degradation, and EV retention and release. ECM, extracellular matrix; PEG, polyethylene glycol; EVs, extracellular vesicles.