Advancing Tissue Damage Repair in Geriatric Diseases: Prospects of Combining Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes with Hydrogels

Ling Shi,1 Yunjun Zhou,2 Yongkui Yin,1 Jin Zhang,3 Kaiyuan Chen,1 Sen Liu,1 Peijian Chen,1 Hua Jiang,2 Jieting Liu,1 Yan Wu1 1College of Life Science, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157000, People’s Republic of China; 2The Affiliated Hongqi Hospital, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157000, People’s Republic of China; 3Clinical Laboratory, Zhejiang Medical & Health Group Quzhou Hospital, Quzhou, 324004, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yan Wu; Jieting Liu, College of Life Science, Mudanjiang Medical University, 3 Tong Xiang Street, Ai Min District, Mudanjiang, 157000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-0453-6984647, Email wuyan@mdjmu.edu.cn; ttiebj1@163.comAbstract: Geriatric diseases are a group of diseases with unique characteristics related to senility. With the rising trend of global aging, senile diseases now mainly include endocrine, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, skeletal, and muscular diseases and cancer. Compared with younger populations, the structure and function of various cells, tissues and organs in the body of the elderly undergo a decline as they age, rendering them more susceptible to external factors and diseases, leading to serious tissue damage. Tissue damage presents a significant obstacle to the overall health and well-being of older adults, exerting a profound impact on their quality of life. Moreover, this phenomenon places an immense burden on families, society, and the healthcare system.In recent years, stem cell-derived exosomes have become a hot topic in tissue repair research. The combination of these exosomes with biomaterials allows for the preservation of their biological activity, leading to a significant improvement in their therapeutic efficacy. Among the numerous biomaterial options available, hydrogels stand out as promising candidates for loading exosomes, owing to their exceptional properties. Due to the lack of a comprehensive review on the subject matter, this review comprehensively summarizes the application and progress of combining stem cell-derived exosomes and hydrogels in promoting tissue damage repair in geriatric diseases. In addition, the challenges encountered in the field and potential prospects are presented for future advancements.Keywords: exosomes, biomaterials, hydrogels, geriatric diseases, injury repair