Research advances in bio-derived hydrogel in bladder tissue engineering

The repair and reconstruction of bladder has always been a key research direction in urology clinical practice. With the continuous progress of tissue engineering technology in recent years, this problem is expected to be solved fundamentally. Hydrogels which mimic structure of the native tissues have been used as one of the most common tissue engineering scaffold materials due to their ability in providing an ideal environment and mechanical support for cell survival, with the advantages of good biocompatibility, biodegradability and plasticity. This article will introduce the characteristics of bio-derived hydrogels and review their research advances in bladder tissue engineering.