Protein–based electrospun nanofibers: electrospinning conditions, biomedical applications, prospects, and challenges

Abstract

Electrospun fibers have recently gained popularity, particularly in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications, owing to their high surface–to–volume ratio, solubility, versatility, and other special characteristics. Peptide/protein structures from plants and animals, combined with synthetic and natural polymers, are utilized to create biocompatible and biodegradable fibers. Casein, silk fibroin, hemoglobin, bovine serum albumin, elastin, collagen, gelatin, keratin, soy, pea, and zein are some animal and plant proteins used in the production of nanofibers. These animal and plants–derived proteins and synthetic biopolymers are used in the production of electrospun nanofibers. Their potential applications in the pharmaceutical and biomedical fields are discussed in this review. Since proteins have biodegradability and compatibility with living cells, protein–based nanofibers may be of special interest. The natural enzymes of the body can degrade these proteins into absorbable non-toxic amino acids. Although protein-based fibers have several advantages, it is still challenging to standardize their mechanical and physical characteristics. The review highlights the adverse effects of metallic particles incorporated in nanofibers in healthcare applications and concludes with the challenges and prospects protein–based nanofibrous.