News | Korean Researchers Develop Uterus-Derived Hydrogel with Potential for Infertility Treatment
According to Korea's Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, more than 370,000 people sought medical help for infertility or difficulty conceiving last year. Compared with 2018, infertility-related treatment rose by 4.7% and subfertility-related treatment by 16%. As birth rates decline, more Koreans are seeking solutions to fertility problems. A healthy endometrium is essential for pregnancy. A thin endometrium can prevent implantation and raise miscarriage risk, making it a major contributor to female infertility. Current treatments, including hormone therapy and endometrial injections, have limited effectiveness.
Researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) and CHA University developed an innovative hydrogel that mimics the uterine cellular environment, promotes endometrial regeneration, and reveals the underlying regenerative mechanism for the first time. The work was led by Professor Cho Dong-Woo and Professor Jang Jinah of POSTECH's Department of Mechanical Engineering, along with Professor Kang Youn-Jung and Dr. Ahn Jungho of CHA University, and published in Advanced Functional Materials.
The team developed a uterus-derived decellularized extracellular matrix (UdECM) hydrogel. With cellular components removed, UdECM closely resembles the body's structural environment and is widely used in tissue regeneration and 3D printing for organs such as the heart and kidneys. The hydrogel contains proteins extracted from whole uterine tissue and the endometrial layer and closely matches the composition of the actual endometrium. In animal models, injections effectively restored endometrial thickness in mice and created a favorable environment for embryo implantation. The biomaterial also had very low cytotoxicity, with 90% survival of transferred embryos.
The researchers further identified roles for insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and its binding protein (IGFBP3) in endometrial regeneration, providing a new platform for future study. Hydrogels derived from different tissues, including endometrium and muscle, also showed potential for treating intrauterine adhesions and recurrent implantation failure. In the future, treatment could potentially be personalized to the patient's endometrial condition.
Professor Cho Dong-Woo said: “We successfully developed a uterus-specific hydrogel designed to promote endometrial regeneration and successful pregnancy. I hope further clinical application of this research will offer new hope to patients with infertility.”
The study was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea's Mid-Career Researcher Program and the Regenerative Medicine Fund funded by Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT and Ministry of Health and Welfare.
News | Korean Researchers Develop Uterus-Derived Hydrogel with Potential for Infertility Treatment
News | Korean Researchers Develop Uterus-Derived Hydrogel with Potential for Infertility Treatment
According to Korea's Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, more than 370,000 people sought medical help for infertility or difficulty conceiving last year. Compared with 2018, infertility-related treatment rose by 4.7% and subfertility-related treatment by 16%. As birth rates decline, more Koreans are seeking solutions to fertility problems. A healthy endometrium is essential for pregnancy. A thin endometrium can prevent implantation and raise miscarriage risk, making it a major contributor to female infertility. Current treatments, including hormone therapy and endometrial injections, have limited effectiveness.
Researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) and CHA University developed an innovative hydrogel that mimics the uterine cellular environment, promotes endometrial regeneration, and reveals the underlying regenerative mechanism for the first time. The work was led by Professor Cho Dong-Woo and Professor Jang Jinah of POSTECH's Department of Mechanical Engineering, along with Professor Kang Youn-Jung and Dr. Ahn Jungho of CHA University, and published in Advanced Functional Materials.
The team developed a uterus-derived decellularized extracellular matrix (UdECM) hydrogel. With cellular components removed, UdECM closely resembles the body's structural environment and is widely used in tissue regeneration and 3D printing for organs such as the heart and kidneys. The hydrogel contains proteins extracted from whole uterine tissue and the endometrial layer and closely matches the composition of the actual endometrium. In animal models, injections effectively restored endometrial thickness in mice and created a favorable environment for embryo implantation. The biomaterial also had very low cytotoxicity, with 90% survival of transferred embryos.
The researchers further identified roles for insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and its binding protein (IGFBP3) in endometrial regeneration, providing a new platform for future study. Hydrogels derived from different tissues, including endometrium and muscle, also showed potential for treating intrauterine adhesions and recurrent implantation failure. In the future, treatment could potentially be personalized to the patient's endometrial condition.
Professor Cho Dong-Woo said: “We successfully developed a uterus-specific hydrogel designed to promote endometrial regeneration and successful pregnancy. I hope further clinical application of this research will offer new hope to patients with infertility.”
The study was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea's Mid-Career Researcher Program and the Regenerative Medicine Fund funded by Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT and Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Source:
Collected online