Bacterial-Nanocellulose-Based Biointerfaces and Biomimetic Constructs for Blood-Contacting Medical Applications

Abstract

Understanding the interaction between biomaterials and blood is critical in the design of novel biomaterials for use in biomedical applications. Depending on the application, biomaterials can be designed to promote hemostasis, slow or stop bleeding in an internal or external wound, or prevent thrombosis for use in permanent or temporary medical implants. Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) is a natural, biocompatible biopolymer that has recently gained interest for its potential use in blood-contacting biomedical applications (e.g., artificial vascular grafts), due to its high porosity, shapeability, and tissue-like properties. To promote hemostasis, BNC has been modified through oxidation or functionalization with various peptides, proteins, polysaccharides, and minerals that interact with the coagulation cascade. For use as an artificial vascular graft or to promote vascularization, BNC has been extensively researched, with studies investigating different modification techniques to enhance endothelialization such as functionalizing with adhesion peptides or extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins as well as tuning the structural properties of BNC such as surface roughness, pore size, and fiber size. While BNC inherently exhibits comparable mechanical characteristics to endogenous blood vessels, these mechanical properties can be enhanced through chemical functionalization or through altering the fabrication method. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the various modification techniques that have been implemented to enhance the suitability of BNC for blood-contacting biomedical applications and different testing techniques that can be applied to evaluate their performance. Initially, we focused on the modification techniques that have been applied to BNC for hemostatic applications. Subsequently, we outline the different methods used for the production of BNC-based artificial vascular grafts and to generate vasculature in tissue engineered constructs. This sequential organization enables a clear and concise discussion of the various modifications of BNC for different blood-contacting biomedical applications and highlights the diverse and versatile nature of BNC as a natural biomaterial.

Adsorption Capacity of Activated Carbon-Encapsulated Hollow-Type Spherical Bacterial Cellulose Gels for Uremic Toxins in a Simulated Human Gastrointestinal Environment

“…Many studies have been published on the chemical modification of nanofibers. Nanofibers have high mechanical strength due to their crystallinity, and if molecules that inhibit thrombus formation, such as heparin, can be immobilized using a small number of hydroxyl groups that do not affect the crystallinity [32], the potential applications in relation to the removal of blood uremic toxins by ACEG will be further enhanced.…”

Transcriptomic Insights into Metabolism-Dependent Biosynthesis of Bacterial Nanocellulose

“…Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), with superior thermostability, mechanical strength, and crystallinity, , represents a promising biomaterial for diverse applications spanning from biomedicine to manufacturing of cosmetics, food, and electronic products. − However, the low productivity of BNC remains a key barrier to its mass production, and engineering of BNC biosynthesis is currently restricted by our poor knowledge of the influential factors.…”

Effect of Quorum Sensing Molecules on the Quality of Bacterial Nanocellulose Materials

“…BNC can also be easily modified and functionalized through genetic engineering and/or synthetic biology approaches. − BNC materials are applied in tissue engineering applications such as regenerative medicine, where biomimetics are used as a strategy to develop scaffolds that resemble native tissues and activate self-cell regeneration. , BNC materials have excellent biocompatibility that suit them for biomedical applications such as antimicrobial treatment, wound healing, , and blood vessel replacements . Moreover, the 3D-bioink printing field utilized BNC materials to form double cross-lined biomaterial films for medical field applications such as cell proliferation, cartilage regeneration, tissue repairs, and hemostatic applications . However, the BNC biofilm production process has a significant hurdle arising from the complex interplay of bacterial growth conditions and shifts in bacterial behavior during the production phase.…”

“… 19 Moreover, the 3D-bioink printing field utilized BNC materials to form double cross-lined biomaterial films for medical field applications such as cell proliferation, 20 cartilage regeneration, 21 tissue repairs, 22 and hemostatic applications. 23 However, the BNC biofilm production process has a significant hurdle arising from the complex interplay of bacterial growth conditions and shifts in bacterial behavior during the production phase. This intricacy often renders the conversion of these BNC biofilms into a reproducible, practical, and useable form a challenging endeavor.…”