title: A comprehensive review of advanced biopolymeric wound healing systems.
abstract: Wound healing is a complex and dynamic process that involves the mediation of many initiators effective during the healing process such as cytokines, macrophages and fibroblasts. In addition, the defence mechanism of the body undergoes a step-by-step but continuous process known as the wound healing cascade to ensure optimal healing. Thus, when designing a wound healing system or dressing, it is pivotal that key factors such as optimal gaseous exchange, a moist wound environment, prevention of microbial activity and absorption of exudates are considered. A variety of wound dressings are available, however, not all meet the specific requirements of an ideal wound healing system to consider every aspect within the wound healing cascade. Recent research has focussed on the development of smart polymeric materials. Combining biopolymers that are crucial for wound healing may provide opportunities to synthesise matrices that are inductive to cells and that stimulate and trigger target cell responses crucial to the wound healing process. This review therefore outlines the processes involved in skin regeneration, optimal management and care required for wound treatment. It also assimilates, explores and discusses wound healing drug-delivery systems and nanotechnologies utilised for enhanced wound healing applications.
authors.affiliation: Wits Advanced Drug Delivery Platform Research Unit, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, School of Therapeutic Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Parktown, 2193, South Africa.
authors.forename: Naeema
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mayet
authors.forename: Yahya E
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Choonara
authors.forename: Pradeep
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Lomas K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Tomar
authors.forename: Charu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tyagi
authors.forename: Lisa C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Du Toit
authors.forename: Viness
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pillay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001458:Bandages; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D050997:Nanomedicine; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011108:Polymers
keywords: bioactive agents; extracellular matrix (ECM); hydrogels; nanotechnology; polymeric biomaterials; skin; tissue engineering; wound dressings; wound healing