Dermal substitutes bear a high clinical demand because of their ability to promote the healing process of cutaneous wounds by reducing the healing time the appearance and improving the functionality of the repaired tissue. Despite the increasing development of dermal substitutes, most of them are only composed of biological or biosynthetic matrices. This demonstrates the need for new developments focused on using scaffolds with cells (tissue construct) that promote the production of factors for biological signaling, wound coverage, and general support of the tissue repair process. Here, we fabricate by electrospinning two scaffolds: poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) as a control and poly(ε-caprolactone)/collagen type I (PCol) in a ratio lower collagen than previously reported, 19:1, respectively. Then, characterize their physicochemical and mechanical properties. As we bear in mind the creation of a biologically functional construct, we characterize and assess in vitro the implications of seeding human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stromal cells (hWJ-MSCs) on both scaffolds. Finally, to determine the potential functionality of the constructs in vivo, their efficiency was evaluated in a porcine biomodel. Our findings demonstrated that collagen incorporation in the scaffolds produces fibers with similar diameters to those in the human native extracellular matrix, increases wettability, and enhances the presence of nitrogen on the scaffold surface, improving cell adhesion and proliferation. These synthetic scaffolds improved the secretion of factors by hWJ-MSCs involved in skin repair processes such as b-FGF and Angiopoietin I and induced its differentiation towards epithelial lineage, as shown by the increased expression of Involucrin and JUP. In vivo experiments confirmed that lesions treated with the PCol/hWJ-MSCs constructs might reproduce a morphological organization that seems relatively equivalent to normal skin. These results suggest that the PCol/hWJ-MSCs construct is a promising alternative for skin lesions repair in the clinic.

Articular cartilage is a highly specialized connective tissue essential for joint function, providing load-bearing capacity, shock absorption, and near-frictionless motion. Due to its avascular nature, articular cartilage has a limited intrinsic healing capacity, and focal injuries often progress to degenerative joint diseases such as osteoarthritis, leading to chronic pain and functional impairment. This review examines current and emerging scientific, clinical, and technological strategies for articular cartilage repair and regeneration, with particular emphasis on their translational relevance. This narrative review integrates data from peer-reviewed literature, clinical trial registries, and patent databases. Preclinical and clinical approaches are discussed, including orthobiologics, cell-based therapies, advanced biomaterials, and three-dimensional tissue-engineered scaffolds. Bibliometric and keyword network analyses are used to identify dominant research themes, technological trends, and emerging innovations. The findings reveal a clear paradigm shift from conventional surgical interventions, often associated with fibrocartilage formation and suboptimal biomechanical performance, to multifactorial regenerative strategies combining cells, bioactive signals, and biomimetic scaffolds designed to recapitulate the native extracellular matrix. This convergence of regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and biomaterials science is reflected in growing clinical translation efforts and intellectual property activity. Overall, although articular cartilage repair remains a significant clinical challenge, integrated regenerative approaches show great potential for achieving durable and functional cartilage regeneration.

Chronic cutaneous ulcers pose a major clinical challenge due to persistent inflammation, impaired angiogenesis, and limited regenerative capacity, underscoring the need to develop bioactive scaffolds that mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) and promote skin repair. In this study, electrospun Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds functionalized with 10% (PCLGLI10) and 20% (PCLGLI20) glycine were fabricated, physicochemically and mechanically characterized, and evaluated in combination with human Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stromal cells (hWJ-MSCs). Glycine incorporation reduced fiber diameter to the nanoscale range (140–155 nm) and increased scaffold porosity (~71–72%) while preserving mechanical properties compatible with skin. FTIR and X-ray diffraction analyses confirmed glycine incorporation and a polymorphic transition from α- to γ-glycine during electrospinning. Cell viability remained above 95% in all scaffolds; however, PCLGLI10 significantly enhanced cell proliferation, metabolic activity, and the secretion of VEGF and HGF, mediators associated with angiogenesis and tissue repair. Furthermore, in a guinea pig full-thickness wound model, the PCLGLI10+hWJ-MSCs construct promoted a modulated inflammatory response and more organized collagen deposition. These findings support the potential of glycine-functionalized electrospun scaffolds as a promising strategy for chronic cutaneous ulcer regeneration.