A research group at the Yucatan Center for Scientific Research (CICY) is developing a hydrogel using marine resources from the region, with potential applications for skin regeneration in patients with difficult-to-heal wounds, as announced by the Conacyt Researcher for Mexico, affiliated with the Materials Unit, Nayeli Rodríguez Fuentes.
What can you tell us about this product?
This hydrogel functions through bio-scaffolds constructed from biopolymers (collagen) extracted from an endemic jellyfish species found in the Yucatan Peninsula. The scaffold is a three-dimensional structure where cells can grow and regenerate tissues. In the case of those produced at CICY, they are biomedical scaffolds.
Can Yucatan jellyfish regenerate skin?
The jellyfish used undergo special treatment and characterization in the laboratory to utilize their biopolymers. I do not recommend collecting jellyfish from their natural environment and applying them directly to the skin, as most of them can be toxic and damage the skin.
What are its advantages over other methods?
The hydrogel is made with biodegradable scaffolds, so once they fulfill their purpose, they naturally degrade. It promotes rapid skin regeneration, reducing the risk of infection. It provides greater elasticity to the new skin, preventing fragmentation and relapses in the wounds. Additionally, it is made using locally available resources.
What are the potential outcomes of this research?
The hydrogel developed at CICY will be applied through alternative methods rather than topically, allowing better coverage of wounds in terms of shape (edges) and depth. This hydrogel has a high water retention capacity, making it ideal for preventing infections in the wound caused by leachate seepage.
How long have you been working on this?
This technology has been under development at CICY for approximately seven years, yielding positive results for skin regeneration in the laboratory experimentation phase (in vitro).
What stage is this study currently in?
We are about to conclude the first stage of laboratory experimentation, and soon we will begin the animal experimentation phase to study its safety and effectiveness in a living organism.
Will it be tested on humans?
The clinical phase will come later, where the treatment will be applied to human patients. However, we are already working on obtaining a patent for this technology, so that it can eventually be transferred to the pharmaceutical industry.
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