Abstract
Chitin-based materials and their derivatives are receiving increased attention in tissue engineering because of their unique and appealing biological properties. In this review, we summarize the biomedical potential of chitin-based materials, specifically focusing on chitosan, in tissue engineering approaches for epithelial and soft tissues. Both types of tissues play an important role in supporting anatomical structures and physiological functions. Because of the attractive features of chitin-based materials, many characteristics beneficial to tissue regeneration including the preservation of cellular phenotype, binding and enhancement of bioactive factors, control of gene expression, and synthesis and deposition of tissue-specific extracellular matrix are well-regulated by chitin-based scaffolds. These scaffolds can be used in repairing body surface linings, reconstructing tissue structures, regenerating connective tissue, and supporting nerve and vascular growth and connection. The novel use of these scaffolds in promoting the regeneration of various tissues originating from the epithelium and soft tissue demonstrates that these chitin-based materials have versatile properties and functionality and serve as promising substrates for a great number of future applications.
Highlights
Chitin is the second most abundant natural polymer and is commonly found in the exoskeletons of crustacean and insects as well as the cell walls of fungi
This review will focus on the latest developments in the applications of chitin-based materials in tissue engineering by presenting some representative progress in the tissue regeneration of epithelial-derived organs and soft tissues
For tissue regeneration, the addition of serum might be costly and impair biocompatibility. These results suggest a novel role of chitosan in reducing the need for serum in tissue engineering, an important step towards future clinical use
Summary
Chitin is the second most abundant natural polymer and is commonly found in the exoskeletons of crustacean and insects as well as the cell walls of fungi. Protonated chitosan can form a complex with many types of negatively-charged molecules, such as growth factors, nucleic acids, and cytokines [6,7] This feature allows chitosan to recruit and bind bioactive factors from surrounding environments, thereby protecting these factors from degradation and increasing local concentration and efficacy [8,9,10,11,12]. This unique property of chitin-based materials is significant in the modulation of cell behavior during tissue regeneration. This review will focus on the latest developments in the applications of chitin-based materials in tissue engineering by presenting some representative progress in the tissue regeneration of epithelial-derived organs and soft tissues
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