Bacterial cellulose: A natural nanomaterial for biomedical applications

Bacterial cellulose (BC) synthesized from Acetobacter xylinum has drawn lots of attention and interest from biomedical device field due to its unique structure and properties. Characterized by its remarkable physical strength and extremely hydrophilic surface, BC has become a favorable material for wound healing, neuron protection, and vascular grafts. Moreover, due to its homologous structure with native extracellular matrix, BC nanofibrous matrix could also be a potent candidate for tissue-engineered scaffolding materials. In this review, the characters and properties of BC, as a promising material for regenerative medicine, are summarized. The progresses made on application of BC to wound dressing, vascular grafts, meniscus and cartilage repair, bone healing, and other biomedical fields are expatiated in details. In the end, the future expectation of BC is briefly discussed. Overall, this low cost, biocompatible, and versatile nanomaterial could eventually be developed as an excellent platform for a new generation of medical device and regenerative medicine.