Figure 6.

Injectable self‐integrating hydrogels for osteochondral repair. Schematic illustration of a self‐healing hydrogel that could potentially be used to repair an osteochondral defect. Two tissue‐specific hydrogel formulations made from the same bulk material are injected into the damaged cartilage–bone interface. The shear‐thinning properties of the hydrogels would allow for easy injection of the cell‐containing solutions. Their self‐healing chemistries would then foster the formation of a seamless transition between the chondrogenic and osteogenic hydrogel formulations. The chondrogenic hydrogel could, for example, contain osteochondral progenitor cells or chondrocytes and chondrogenic factors such as transforming growth factor β (TGFβ ), BMP and/or insulin‐like growth factor (IGF) to promote cartilage‐like ECM production. Whereas the osteogenic hydrogel might include nanoscale hydroxyapatite particles and VEGF to enhance bone regeneration.