Polysaccharides-based nanofibrils: From tissue engineering to biosensor applications

Carbohydrate-based nanofibrils, including cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and chitin nanofibrils (ChNFs) are highly ordered architectures which are the basis of various biological components with hierarchical features, low-cost, biocompatibility, and biofunctionality. To preserve these exceptional structural topographies and to directly use these natural nanofibrils assembly, different approaches have been introduced to exfoliate these nanofibrils from their origin. In this review, we aim to summarize the recent progress on the isolation methods of CNFs and ChNFs and their relation to their physical and chemical properties. In addition, recent studies on their biomedical applications, focusing on tissue engineering, wound dressing, biomedical implants, drug delivery, and biosensors are emphasized. After short evaluation of the toxicity and immunogenicity of these nanofibrils, the outlooks and current challenges of CNFs and ChNFs-based constructs for biomedical applications are summarized. This study shows that CNFs and ChNFs-based constructs have significant potential for a widespread biomedical application in the future.