Potential use of microbial thermo-bioplastic polyhydroxyalkanoate as promising tissue engineering biomaterial in biomedicine

Abstract

Biologically-synthesized plastic, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAa), have been attracting interest in biomedecine due to its similar physical properties to synthetic plastics. Due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability, poly(3-hydroxybutyrates) (PHBs) and related copolymers, mostly poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerates) (PHBVs) has been widely evaluated as carriers for drug delivery or scaffolds in a wide variety of tissue engineering applications. Screening and selection of novel suitable (extremophilic) bacterial strains, low-cost renewable carbon sources, efficient fermentation technologies of natural and recombinant microorganisms and PHA recovery processes are very interesting aspects that should be taken into consideration for the commercialization of microbial PHAs with industrial potential. This review aims to illustrate the start-up of PHA research in biomedicine by providing a summary of their unique physiochemical and mechanical properties for use as biomedical materials for bone, cartilage, cardiovascular, nerve conduit, skin and esophagus tissue engineering.