Advances in Bacterial Cellulose-Based Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering: Review

Bacterial cellulose (BC) has emerged as a highly versatile and promising biomaterial in tissue engineering, with potential applications across skin, bone, cartilage, and vascular regeneration. Its exceptional properties like high mechanical strength, superior biocompatibility, excellent moisture retention, and inherent ability to support cell adhesion and proliferation, make BC particularly effective for wound healing and skin regeneration. These attributes accelerate tissue repair and foster new tissue formation, highlighting its value in skin-related applications. Additionally, BC's capacity to support osteogenic differentiation, combined with its mechanical robustness, positions it as a strong candidate for bone tissue engineering, facilitating regeneration and repair. Recent advancements have emphasized the development of BC-based hybrid scaffolds to enhance tissue-specific functionalities, including vascularization and cartilage regeneration. These innovations aim to address the complex requirements of various tissue engineering applications. However, challenges remain, particularly regarding the scalability of BC production, cost-effectiveness, and the long-term stability of BC-based scaffolds. Such barriers continue to limit its broader clinical adoption. This review critically examines the synthesis methods, intrinsic properties, and recent innovations in the design of BC-based scaffolds, offering insights into their potential to revolutionize regenerative medicine. Furthermore, it addresses the key challenges and limitations that must be overcome to enable the clinical integration of BC. By addressing these limitations, BC could play a transformative role in advancing tissue engineering and regenerative therapies, bridging the gap between laboratory research and clinical application.