Characteristics of chitosan as a biomaterial

Sl no.Properties of chitosan as a biomaterial scaffold for engineering skin substitutes and to accelerate wound healing
1BiodegradabilityChitosan is amenable to enzymatic hydrolysis by lysozyme & lipase present in the body [49] & bacteria [50]
2CytocompatibilityChitosan exhibits good cytocompatibility towards keratinocytes, fibroblasts, dorsal root ganglion neurons, and Schwann cells [5153]
3Hemostatic effectsChitosan can adhere to red blood cells and encourages platelets to adhere, activate, and aggregate at the site of vascular injury [54]
4Anti-inflammatoryChitosan inhibits the release of different pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α & interleukins (IL)-6 [55], and IL-3, 4, 5 [56]
5AngiogenesisChitosan can stimulate proliferation of keratinocytes, vascular cells, and dermal fibroblasts [57]
6Mechanical stabilityMechanical properties of CS-based scaffolds can be enhanced through modifications like cross-linking or blending with other natural or synthetic polymers
7Drug deliveryChitosan has functional groups amenable to coupling bioactive molecules, nanoparticles and drugs for controlled release [58, 59]
8Antibacterial propertyThe positive charge of chitosan forms electrostatic interactions between the chitosan molecule and the bacterial cell wall