Application and prospects of polysaccharide-based hydrogels in the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a primary contributor to chronic low back pain (LBP) and neurological dysfunction. It significantly impairs patients' quality of life. With an aging population and changing lifestyles, the incidence of IVDD has been rising steadily. However, traditional treatments, such as medications, physical therapy, and surgery, primarily alleviate symptoms without fundamentally repairing degenerated discs. Recent advances in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine have led to the development of new therapeutic strategies for IVDD. Among them, hydrogels, which are materials with excellent biocompatibility and tunable properties, show remarkable potential. In particular, polysaccharide-based hydrogels offer unique advantages in IVDD repair thanks to their structural and functional resemblance to native tissues. Their inherent biomimetic properties allow precise replication of the extracellular matrix (ECM) microenvironment in intervertebral discs, providing critical biochemical and biomechanical cues for cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. Additionally, polysaccharide-based hydrogels, with their diverse material bases and modification methods, can flexibly meet the specific demands of various polysaccharide types, providing highly customizable solutions for different stages of the repair process. This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent developments in the application of polysaccharide hydrogels for IVDD therapy.