CHITIN--a promising biomaterial for tissue engineering and stem cell technologies.
Chitin, after cellulose, is the second most abundant natural polymer. With a 200-year history of scientific research, chitin is beginning to see fruitful application in the fields of stem cell and tissue engineering. To date, however, research in chitin as a biomaterial appears to lag far behind that of its close relative, chitosan, due to the perceived difficulty in processing chitin. This review presents methods to improve the processability of chitin, and goes on further to discuss the unique physicochemical and biological characteristics of chitin that favor it as a biomaterial for regenerative medicine applications. Examples of the latter are presented, with special attention on the qualities of chitin that make it inherently suitable as scaffolds and matrices for tissue engineering, stem cell propagation and differentiation.
Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 31 Biopolis Way, The Nanos, 138669, Singapore. Electronic address: awan@ibn.a-star.edu.sg.
Andrew C A
AC
Wan
Benjamin C U
BC
Tai
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002686:Chitin; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D013234:Stem Cells; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002686:Chitin
Chitin; Scaffolds; Stem cell; Tissue engineering