• Preparation and Biofunctional Characterization of an Injectable Thermogel Incorporating Stem Cell Conditioned Medium and Tannic Acid

  • Se Yeon Shin*,#, Ryoung Eun Kim**,#, Haejin Choi*,#, Eun Young Kim**,† , Min Kyu Kim**, ***,† , and Kang Moo Huh*, ****,†

  • *Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University, 99, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea
    **MKbiotech Inc., 99, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea
    ***Division of Animal and Dairy Science, College of Agriculture and Life Science, Chungnam National University, 99, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea
    ****Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University, 99, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea

  • 줄기세포 배양액 및 탄닌산 함유 주입형 써모젤 제형의 제조 및생기능적 특성 분석

  • 신세연*,# · 김령은**,# · 최해진*,# · 김은영**,† · 김민규**, ***,† · 허강무*, ****,†

  • *충남대학교 신소재공학과, **엠케이바이오텍, ***충남대학교 동물자원과학부, ****충남대학교 고분자공학과

  • Reproduction, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form of any part of this publication is permitted only by written permission from the Polymer Society of Korea.


Abstract

Conditioned medium (CM) derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has emerged as a promising alternative to cell-based therapies due to its high safety and regenerative efficacy. In this study, an injectable HGC-CM/TA thermogel formulation with enhanced physical and biological properties was developed by incorporating CM from placental MSCs and tannic acid (TA) into N-hexanoyl glycol chitosan (HGC). TA served as a multifunctional crosslinker, significantly improving the gel’s mechanical strength, self-healing ability, mucoadhesiveness, tissue adhesiveness, and antioxidant activity via physical and chemical interactions within the hydrogel network. All thermogels exhibited shear-thinning behavior and rapid thixotropic recovery, ensuring injectability and structural stability under physiological conditions. This HGC-CM/TA thermogel is expected to promote wound healing and tissue regeneration by providing strong adhesion for stable fixation, enhanced antioxidant activity for oxidative stress control, and convenient injectability with self-healing capacity.


중간엽 줄기세포(MSC) 유래 배양액(CM)은 높은 안전성과 조직 재생 효능을 바탕으로 세포 기반 치료를 대체할 수 있는 유망한 치료 전략으로 주목받고 있다. 본 연구에서는 N-헥사노일 글리콜 키토산(HGC)에 태반 유래 MSC 배양액과 천연 폴리페놀인 탄닌산(TA)을 도입하여, 물리적 안정성과 생물학적 기능이 향상된 주입형 HGC-CM/TA 써모젤 제형을 개발하였다. TA는 하이드로젤 내에서 물리화학적 가교를 형성하여 기계적 강도, 자가치유능력, 점막 및 조직 접착력, 항산화 활성을 효과적으로 향상시켰다. 모든 써모젤 제형은 우수한 전단 박화(shear-thinning) 거동과 점도 회복 특성을 나타내어 주입형 제형으로서의 적합성을 확인하였다. 본 HGC-CM/TA 써모젤은 강한 접착력으로 손상 부위 고정, 향상된 항산화 기능에 따른 산화 스트레스 억제, 자가치유 및 주입 편의성을 통해 상처 치유와 조직 재생을 효과적으로 촉진할 수 있는 생기능성 하이드로젤 제형으로 기대된다.


Keywords: injectable hydrogel, thermogel, N-hexanoyl glycol chitosan, conditioned medium, tannic acid.

  • Polymer(Korea) 폴리머
  • Frequency : Bimonthly(odd)
    ISSN 2234-8077(Online)
    Abbr. Polym. Korea
  • 2024 Impact Factor : 0.6
  • Indexed in SCIE

This Article

  • 2026; 50(1): 36-48

    Published online Jan 25, 2026

  • 10.7317/pk.2026.50.1.36
  • Received on Jun 9, 2025
  • Revised on Sep 6, 2025
  • Accepted on Sep 26, 2025

Correspondence to

  • Eun Young Kim** , Min Kyu Kim**, *** , and Kang Moo Huh*, ****

  • **MKbiotech Inc., 99, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea
    ***Division of Animal and Dairy Science, College of Agriculture and Life Science, Chungnam National University, 99, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea
    ****Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University, 99, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea

  • E-mail: key@mkbiotech.co.kr, kminkyu@cnu.ac.kr, khuh@cnu.ac.kr