Mucus-derived biomaterial dressings: a novel approach to accelerate wound healing

Wound management remains a clinical challenge due to the complexity of healing processes. Traditional dressings with passive protection mechanisms and modern synthetic alternatives often fail to recapitulate the dynamic biological interactions in the wound microenvironment. Mucus is a naturally widely available biomaterial, exhibiting superior bioactive properties as a viscoelastic gel-like substance. Notably, natural mucus derived from diverse biological sources has garnered significant attention as advanced wound dressings. This review explores the potential of natural mucus from animals, plants, microorganisms, and other complex sources as multifunctional wound healing platforms. By analyzing the therapeutic effects of natural mucus, we evaluate its key molecular mechanisms and performance metrics against clinical wound dressings. This establishes a scientific framework for mucus-inspired biomaterials design. The comprehensive assessment not only reveals the untapped potential of renewable biological resources in developing eco-friendly, high-performance wound care alternatives but also provides theoretical guidance for developing next-generation dressings with bioactive, self-adaptive, and environmentally responsive characteristics.