Cover StoryInjectable Gel

Known as “injectable gels,” these medical gels are designed to remain liquid when filled into a syringe and solidify in response to body temperature or pH once injected.
Akihiro Nishiguchi has been advancing research on injectable gels using a material derived from porcine tendon gelatin modified with UPy groups.* One of the developed materials is a “medical adhesive” (as shown on the cover photo). This adhesive is designed to solidify at body temperature (37℃) by adjusting the number of UPy groups. To use it, the adhesive is first slightly heated to turn it into a liquid. It is then injected into a surgical wound, where it effectively seals the wound and prevents adhesion to the surrounding tissues.
During his research, Nishiguchi also discovered a method to create fiber-like pores within the gel. This innovation is paving the way for the development of injectable gels for regenerative medicine, capable of encapsulating transplanted cells and delivering them into the body (Research Highlights 05).

＊ UPy Groups: Ureidopyrimidinone groups

Photography by Naohiro Tsukada