Polymeric
nanofibers are finding a growing number of applications
in various areas of biomedical sciences such as diagnostics, therapeutic
delivery, and tissue engineering. Since such applications entail interfacing
these materials with the biological milieu, it is often necessary
that these nanofibers are hydrophilic in nature, yet stable in an
aqueous environment. To date, several approaches to impart stabilization
to polymeric nanofibers obtained using electrospinning have been developed.
Various strategies utilizing chemical cross-linking of polymers have
been exploited to impart stabilization of functional nanofibers fabricated
using polymers that are soluble in the aqueous environment. This review
highlights the various approaches developed to date for providing
stabilization to hydrophilic polymeric nanofibers, along with showcasing
the utilization of hydrophilic polymeric nanofibers in several biomedical
applications.