New hydrogels wither while stem cells flourish for tissue repair

Baby diapers, contact lenses and gelatin dessert. While seemingly unrelated, these items have one thing in common—they're made of highly absorbent substances called hydrogels that have versatile applications. Recently, a type of biodegradable hydrogel, dubbed microporous annealed particle (MAP) hydrogel, has gained much attention for its potential to deliver stem cells for body tissue repair. But it is currently unclear how these jelly-like materials affect the growth of their precious cellular cargo, thereby limiting its use in regenerative medicine.