Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42403396›Full record

ArticleJournal of orthopaedic translation2026

Multifunctional ultrafast hydrogel for arthroscopic surgery: An enzymatically cross-linked, nanosilicate-reinforced system promotes dual cartilage and subchondral bone regeneration.

Qiang Lian, Jianqun Wu, Yun Lian, Danfeng Du, Yangyi Yu, Yuanhao Fan, Shenlei Feng, Hang Zhou, Jiawei Li, Chengheng You and 4 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of orthopaedic translation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Qiang LianDepartment of Traumatic Surgery, Center for Orthopaedic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Jianqun WuDepartment of Traumatic Surgery, Center for Orthopaedic Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Yun LianDepartment of Emergency, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China.
Danfeng DuDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Shenzhen People's Hospital,The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Yangyi YuDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Shenzhen People's Hospital,The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Yuanhao FanDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Shenlei FengDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Hang ZhouDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Jiawei LiDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Chengheng YouDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Ying WangDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Decheng WuDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Chao LiuDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Guangheng LiDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Shenzhen People's Hospital,The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Arthroscopic repair of osteochondral (OC) defects using injectable hydrogels remains highly challenging due to the high-pressure, water-filled environment of the joint during arthroscopic surgery. Conventional hydrogels exhibit slow gelation kinetics, prolonged setting times, poor adhesion to wet tissues, and insufficient mechanical strength, rendering them prone to washout throughout the procedure. Methods: To address these limitations, we incorporated a small amount of transglutaminase (TG) and synthetic lithium silicate nanoplatelets (SN) into a gelatin-oxidized starch (GelS) precursor and evaluated the regenerative performance of the resulting hydrogel under simulated arthroscopic conditions. In vivo, the hydrogels were implanted into osteochondral defects in rats to assess their repair efficacy. Results: The GelS-TG-SN hydrogel demonstrated ultrafast enzymatic gelation, robust underwater adhesion, and significantly enhanced mechanical strength. It was cytocompatible, displayed anti-inflammatory activity, and supported context-dependent dual-lineage differentiation of Synovial-derived stem cells (SDSCs) chondrogenesis in a cartilage-like niche and PI3K-Akt-mediated osteogenesis in a vascular-like niche. Following 8-week implantation, it enabled coordinated regeneration of cartilage and subchondral bone, recapitulating native osteochondral architecture. Conclusion: The GelS-TG-SN nanocomposite hydrogel offers a compelling strategy for effective osteochondral regeneration in arthroscopic surgical environments. The Translational Potential of this Article: This hydrogel platform offers an elegant and clinically accessible solution for arthroscopic osteochondral repair. Its ultrafast gelation-achieved in under one minute-combined with resilient adhesion under constant irrigation enables seamless intraoperative application without auxiliary instrumentation. By capitalizing on the body's intrinsic osteochondral gradient, a single injection orchestrates synchronized regeneration of cartilage and subchondral bone. Such integration of procedural simplicity with inherent regenerative bioactivity underscores its promise as a genuinely "one-step" therapy ready for clinical translation.

Indexed as

Arthroscopic surgeryCartilage repairInjectable hydrogelOsteochondral defectsRegenerative medicineSubchondral bone

Identifiers

PMID42403396
PMCPMC13330669

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.