# Marine Algae Hydrogels as Emerging Biomaterials for Medicine

## TL;DR

Marine algae can be used to create sustainable hydrogels with potential for tissue repair and drug delivery in medicine.

## Contribution

The paper reviews marine algae-derived hydrogels as next-generation biomaterials and outlines strategies for their fabrication and application.

## Key findings

- Phycocolloids from marine algae offer biocompatible and tunable hydrogels for biomedical applications.
- Hydrogels show promise in skin repair, tissue regeneration, and drug delivery.
- Challenges include extract variability and the need for sustainable production methods.

## Abstract

Marine algae, microalgae, and Cyanophyceae emerge as sustainable and versatile sources of biomacromolecules for the fabrication of hydrogels with broad biomedical potential. Their phycocolloids, such as alginate, agar, carrageenan, ulvan, and extracellular polysaccharides (EPS), exhibit intrinsic biocompatibility, tunable gelation behavior, and bioactive sulfated structures that support cell viability, tissue regeneration, and therapeutic delivery. This review provides a comprehensive overview of hydrogel fabrication strategies, including physical, chemical, and hybrid crosslinking approaches, and highlights recent advances in composite systems incorporating proteins, glycosaminoglycans, and functional nanomaterials. Applications in skin repair, cartilage and bone regeneration, neural and cardiovascular engineering, and controlled drug delivery are examined, alongside the expanding role of marine-derived hydrogels as bioinks for 3D and 4D bioprinting. Despite their promise, challenges remain related to extract variability, purification complexity, mechanical limitations, and the need for standardized characterization. Future perspectives emphasize genetic engineering of algae and cyanobacteria, development of multifunctional hybrid hydrogels, sustainable large-scale production, and pathways toward clinical translation. Together, these insights position marine-derived hydrogels as next-generation biomaterials with significant potential for regenerative medicine and therapeutic innovation.