Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (513 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Colloids with a solid continuous phase and liquid as the dispersed phase; gels may be unstable when, due to temperature or other cause, the solid phase liquefies; the resulting colloid is called a sol.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Colloids
- Narrower topics
- Aerogels; Hydrogels; Microgels; Nanogels; Silica Gel
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 90,592 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Gels” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 38,575 of them (42.6%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2020 onward with 38,575 records.
Reviews account for 6,329 records (7.0%) and meta-analyses for 139. Randomized controlled trials number 2,853 (3.1%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 11,258 |
| 2000-2009 | 12,921 |
| 2010-2019 | 27,838 |
| 2020 onward | 38,575 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 6,329 | 7.0% |
| Meta-analyses | 139 | 0.2% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 2,853 | 3.1% |
Method: PubMed query "Gels"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in drugs and chemicals
Studies of a chemical or drug can answer very different questions: what it is and how it behaves in cells and animals, how the body handles it, and whether it changes outcomes in people. Laboratory and animal findings often do not carry over to patients, and observational studies of exposures are confounded by who uses a substance and why. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to use, avoid, start or stop any substance or medicine; talk to a qualified clinician or pharmacist about your own situation. Check the dose, the species, the comparison group and whether a patient-relevant outcome was measured.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tailored Nanogel Network Topology Enables Clinical Ultrasound-Induced Mechanochemical Activation for In Vivo Therapy | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 2 | cc by PMID 42183674 · DOI · PMC13382917 |
| Ultrasound-Activated Bifunctional Piezoelectric Hydrogel Dressings Promote Infected Wound Healing via Regulating Angiogenesis and Lymphangiogenesis | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 2 | cc by PMID 42037321 · DOI · PMC13335527 |
| MOF-Integrated Self-Healing Schiff Base Hydrogel for Antibacterial and Antioxidant Wound Treatment | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42278257 · DOI · PMC13256448 |
Tailored Nanogel Network Topology Enables Clinical Ultrasound-Induced Mechanochemical Activation for In Vivo Therapy [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Polymer mechanochemistry enables the selective mechanophore activation for precise molecular release.
- Closing excerpt
- This work establishes network topology engineering as a general strategy for programming mechanochemistry, and opens new opportunities for the in vivo biomedical applications of polymer mechanochemistry.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (195 words)
Polymer mechanochemistry enables the selective mechanophore activation for precise molecular release. However, this field has long relied on the strong cavitation effects of low-frequency ultrasound, which are incompatible with clinically high-frequency ultrasound (> 1 MHz), hindering its biomedical applications. Herein, we report a nanogel network topology-programmed mechanochemical strategy, enabling iterative activation of mechanophores under high-frequency (up to 2.4 MHz) and low-intensity (down to 2 W/cm2) ultrasound. By introducing network topology as a design parameter, we established the relationship between nanogel topology, ultrasound frequency, and mechanochemical activity, revealing that distinct network topologies selectively accumulate mechanical forces under different ultrasound frequencies. Meanwhile, the thermal effect of high-frequency ultrasound lowers the activation barrier of mechanophores, further promoting their efficient activation. Remarkably, under high-frequency ultrasound, nanogels achieve an activation rate of 12.6%/min, placing it among the most efficient activation systems reported to date. Importantly, combining nanogels with clinical low-intensity focused ultrasound, we developed a new ultrasound-mediated therapeutic paradigm-synergistic sonothermal and mechanochemical therapy, achieving complete elimination of advanced tumors with a single short treatment. This work establishes network topology engineering as a general strategy for programming mechanochemistry, and opens new opportunities for the in vivo biomedical applications of polymer mechanochemistry.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42183674 · DOI · PMC13382917
Ultrasound-Activated Bifunctional Piezoelectric Hydrogel Dressings Promote Infected Wound Healing via Regulating Angiogenesis and Lymphangiogenesis [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Impaired wound healing resulting from bacterial infections represents a major clinical challenge, necessitating the development of wound dressings simultaneously possessing superior antimicrobial properties and excellent promoting wound healing ability.
- Closing excerpt
- As such, this piezoelectric hydrogel provides a promising, versatile option for clinical translation.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (176 words)
Impaired wound healing resulting from bacterial infections represents a major clinical challenge, necessitating the development of wound dressings simultaneously possessing superior antimicrobial properties and excellent promoting wound healing ability. In this study, we designed a double network piezoelectric hydrogel AB-Gel, leveraging ultrasound-triggered piezoelectric-catalyzed therapy, to enhance healing in infected wounds. Using acryloylglycine and gelatin as substrates, we embedded barium titanate nanoparticles within the hydrogel. The hydrogel exhibited excellent adhesion and reproducibility. Ultrasonic stimulation induced a synergistic effect combining acoustic activation and piezoelectric polarization, leading to enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation at the hydrogel interface, endowing the AB-Gel hydrogel with strong antimicrobial capabilities. In vivo and in vitro experiments showed that the piezoelectric AB-Gel significantly accelerated infected wound healing by regulating inflammatory response, promoting granulation formation, angiogenesis, and lymphangiogenesis, a process rarely reported during wound healing. Consequently, the piezoelectric AB-Gel hydrogel orchestrates the infected, refractory wounds' microenvironment to facilitate wound healing and will be of high value in the treatment of infected wounds. As such, this piezoelectric hydrogel provides a promising, versatile option for clinical translation.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42037321 · DOI · PMC13335527
MOF-Integrated Self-Healing Schiff Base Hydrogel for Antibacterial and Antioxidant Wound Treatment [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Chronic wound healing disorders are closely associated with microenvironmental imbalance, while traditional dressings fail to meet dynamic therapeutic demands due to limited functionality, poor responsiveness, and lack of controlled drug release.
- Closing excerpt
- These results highlight its potential as a multifunctional and responsive dressing for chronic wound management.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (142 words)
Chronic wound healing disorders are closely associated with microenvironmental imbalance, while traditional dressings fail to meet dynamic therapeutic demands due to limited functionality, poor responsiveness, and lack of controlled drug release. In this study, a smart hydrogel dressing was developed by integrating curcumin/Cu2+ co-loaded UiO-66-NH2 metal-organic frameworks into a dynamically cross-linked oxidized hyaluronic acid/carboxymethyl chitosan (OHA-CMCS) network via Schiff base bonding. The MOFs served as a "one-carrier-dual-function" platform, enabling simultaneous delivery of Cu2+ and curcumin. The resulting Cur/Cu-MOF@OHA-CMCS hydrogel exhibited a porous structure, excellent self-healing ability, injectability, and favorable rheological and mechanical properties. Additionally, it showed pH-responsive degradation behavior and sustained drug release (~71% within 7 days). The hydrogel demonstrated effective anti-bacterial activity against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, along with good cytocompatibility (>70% cell viability). These results highlight its potential as a multifunctional and responsive dressing for chronic wound management.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42278257 · DOI · PMC13256448
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Debridement of diabetic foot ulcers [4]
- Research article Risk of corneal inflammatory events with silicone hydrogel and low dk hydrogel extended contact lens wear: a meta-analysis [5]
- Research article Therapeutic Hydrogels: Properties and Biomedical Applications [6]
- Research article Association of the Placement of a Perirectal Hydrogel Spacer With the Clinical Outcomes of Men Receiving Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis [7]
- Research article Hydrogel-Based ROS-Regulating Strategy: Reprogramming the Oxidative Stress Imbalance in Advanced Diabetic Wound Repair [8]
- Research article Hydrogel dressings for healing diabetic foot ulcers [9]
References
- Li H, Song F, Hu X, Jing L, Shuai Q, Su W, et al.. Tailored Nanogel Network Topology Enables Clinical Ultrasound-Induced Mechanochemical Activation for In Vivo Therapy. . 2026. PMID 42183674 · DOI · PMC13382917
- Li X, Ding Z, Liu Z, Chen H, Shan J, Shao Y, et al.. Ultrasound-Activated Bifunctional Piezoelectric Hydrogel Dressings Promote Infected Wound Healing via Regulating Angiogenesis and Lymphangiogenesis. . 2026. PMID 42037321 · DOI · PMC13335527
- Zhao P, Zhu R, Wang C, Wang L, Fan HS. MOF-Integrated Self-Healing Schiff Base Hydrogel for Antibacterial and Antioxidant Wound Treatment. . 2026. PMID 42278257 · DOI · PMC13256448
- Edwards J, Stapley S. Debridement of diabetic foot ulcers. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010. PMID 20091547 · DOI · PMC7144817
- Szczotka-Flynn L, Diaz M. Risk of corneal inflammatory events with silicone hydrogel and low dk hydrogel extended contact lens wear: a meta-analysis. Optom Vis Sci. 2007. PMID 17435508 · DOI
- Dong S, An S, Saiding Q, Chen Q, Liu B, Kong N, et al.. Therapeutic Hydrogels: Properties and Biomedical Applications. Chem Rev. 2025. PMID 40839830 · DOI
- Miller LE, Efstathiou JA, Bhattacharyya SK, Payne HA, Woodward E, Pinkawa M. Association of the Placement of a Perirectal Hydrogel Spacer With the Clinical Outcomes of Men Receiving Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Netw Open. 2020. PMID 32585020 · DOI · PMC7301230
- Zhou Q, Zhuang Y, Deng X, Jiang W, Wang X, Yuan C, et al.. Hydrogel-Based ROS-Regulating Strategy: Reprogramming the Oxidative Stress Imbalance in Advanced Diabetic Wound Repair. Adv Mater. 2026. PMID 41030212 · DOI
- Dumville JC, O'Meara S, Deshpande S, Speak K. Hydrogel dressings for healing diabetic foot ulcers. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013. PMID 23846869 · DOI · PMC6486218
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.