Gelatin nanogels: a versatile platform for biomedical and therapeutic applications

Gelatin nanogels, have emerged as highly effective, flexible, and biocompatible carriers for advanced drug delivery and regenerative medicine These nanoscale hydrogels are developed based on natural gelatin in which they combine the advantages of biodegradability, adjustable physicochemical properties, and low immunogenicity with the capability of entrapping a great variety of therapeutic substances. The design of nanogels with the size, porosity, and stability under control is achieved with the application of various different strategies related to synthesis such as high-pressure homogenization and ultrasonication, desolvation, emulsion, and microfluidics. High drug-loading efficiency and stimuli-responsive release under physiological conditions can be achieved by structural properties like porous architecture, swelling capacity and easiness of surface modification. Thus, gelatin nanogels can be applicable to a wide range of biomedical applications, such as targeted cancer therapy, inflammatory disease treatment, wound repair, and tissue engineering because of these features. They have potential of functionalization with targeting ligands or image guiding agents; thus, making them promising neo-cancer theranostic tools. Despite significant advancements, challenges remain in various areas such as large-scale production, reproducibility and clinical translation are still problematic. Thus, gelatin nanogels represent a valuable class of smart biomaterials that holds considerable promise in Biomedical and Therapeutic Applications.