Emerging growth factor delivery hydrogel system for wound healing

Skin repair is a complex process that relies on the precise regulation of growth factors. Traditional delivery methods are often limited by poor stability and uncontrolled release kinetics. Hydrogels are suitable carriers for growth factor delivery owing to their high biocompatibility, tunable properties, and structural mimicry of the extracellular matrix. Among them, stimuli-responsive hydrogel delivery systems have attracted increasing interest for their controlled, on-demand release of growth factors triggered by temperature, pH, or enzymes, which significantly improves the spatiotemporal precision of repair. In this study, we systematically reviewed current research on hydrogel-delivered growth factors in skin repair. We further examined the influence of different loading strategies on release kinetics, regulatory mechanisms of hydrogel design on drug release behavior, and construction and efficacy of multistage synergistic release systems. Finally, the applicability of hydrogel-based growth factor systems in skin repair was explored, with the aim of providing a theoretical foundation for developing high-performance biomimetic therapeutic platforms and advancing the clinical translation of stimuli-responsive hydrogels in this field. • Reviews hydrogel-based growth factor delivery for wound healing. • Evaluates auxiliary carriers: nanocarriers, microspheres, and gene delivery. • Exploring factors affecting growth factor release kinetics and regulation. • Analyzes release mechanisms: passive, stimulus-responsive, and synergistic. • Discusses clinical translation challenges and future directions.