Microbial Exopolysaccharide Composites in Biomedicine and Healthcare: Trends and Advances

Abstract

Microbial exopolysaccharides (EPSs), e.g., xanthan, dextran, gellan, curdlan, etc., have significant applications in several industries (pharma, food, textiles, petroleum, etc.) due to their biocompatibility, nontoxicity, and functional characteristics. However, biodegradability, poor cell adhesion, mineralization, and lower enzyme activity are some other factors that might hinder commercial applications in healthcare practices. Some EPSs lack biological activities that make them prone to degradation in ex vivo, as well as in vivo environments. The blending of EPSs with other natural and synthetic polymers can improve the structural, functional, and physiological characteristics, and make the composites suitable for a diverse range of applications. In comparison to EPS, composites have more mechanical strength, porosity, and stress-bearing capacity, along with a higher cell adhesion rate, and mineralization that is required for tissue engineering. Composites have a better possibility for biomedical and healthcare applications and are used for 2D and 3D scaffold fabrication, drug carrying and delivery, wound healing, tissue regeneration, and engineering. However, the commercialization of these products still needs in-depth research, considering commercial aspects such as stability within ex vivo and in vivo environments, the presence of biological fluids and enzymes, degradation profile, and interaction within living systems. The opportunities and potential applications are diverse, but more elaborative research is needed to address the challenges. In the current article, efforts have been made to summarize the recent advancements in applications of exopolysaccharide composites with natural and synthetic components, with special consideration of pharma and healthcare applications.

Exploring Extremophiles from Bulgaria: Biodiversity, Biopolymer Synthesis, Functional Properties, Applications

“…One promising avenue for the application of microbial EPS lies in the biomedical industry. The ability of B. thermoruber 423 to produce EPS with low viscosity and sensitivity to Ca 2+ ion concentrations suggests its potential use in medical formulations, where controlled viscosity and ion sensitivity are critical factors [ 59 , 60 ]. The EPS, with its non-cytotoxic nature, could be explored for drug delivery systems, wound healing applications, and as a component in tissue engineering.…”

Levan Production by Suhomyces kilbournensis Using Sugarcane Molasses as a Carbon Source in Submerged Fermentation

“…Exopolysaccharides are natural biopolymers that can be synthesized by some microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, and yeast [ 1 ] and isolated from various sources such as extremophiles, halophiles, psychrophiles, and acidophiles, and their properties depend on the nature of the microorganism [ 2 ]. The principal advantage of microbial EPSs is their extracellular nature, and as a consequence, their recovery is relatively cheap compared with their intracellular counterparts [ 3 ].…”

“…Agro-industrial byproducts represent a promising alternative for the production of EPSs, FOS-producing enzymes, and FOS production. Byproducts, such as sugar cane molasses; beet molasses; agave syrups; fruit peels; some bagasse, such as sugar cane bagasse, coconut bagasse, corn bagasse, and agave bagasse; aguamiel; and coffee processing byproducts, are bioresources for levan-type FOS production [ 1 , 6 ]. Specifically, sugar cane molasses is the viscous liquid byproduct of the sugar extraction process from sugarcane juice and can have different chemical compositions depending on plant type, cultivation area conditions, plant maturity, and juice processing level.…”

Physicochemical and Rheological Properties of Succinoglycan Overproduced by Sinorhizobium meliloti 1021 Mutant

“…Natural polymers have been extensively studied as biomaterials in various fields such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food [ 1 ]. Recently, the industrial use of microbial exopolysaccharide (EPS), a natural polymer, has attracted considerable attention [ 2 ]. Microbial-derived EPSs are attractive biomaterials that have received scientific and commercial attention for decades.…”