Technological advances in fibrin for tissue engineering

• Published in: Journal of Tissue Engineering Vol. 14; p. 20417314231190288
• Main Authors: Sanz-Horta, Raúl, Matesanz, Ana, Gallardo, Alberto, Reinecke, Helmut, Jorcano, José Luis, Acedo, Pablo, Velasco, Diego, Elvira, Carlos
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01-01-2023; Sage Publications Ltd; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Bioengineering; Biomedical materials; Fibrin; Hydrogels; Interpenetrating networks; Mechanical properties; Natural polymers; Polymers; Review; Standardization; Tissue engineering; fibrin-polymer composite scaffolds; Fibrin hydrogels in tissue engineering; particles encapsulated in fibrin hydrogels; PEGylated fibrin hydrogels; natural polymer-fibrin hydrogels
• ISSN: 2041-7314; 2041-7314
• DOI: 10.1177/20417314231190288

Fibrin is a promising natural polymer that is widely used for diverse applications, such as hemostatic glue, carrier for drug and cell delivery, and matrix for tissue engineering. Despite the significant advances in the use of fibrin for bioengineering and biomedical applications, some of its characteristics must be improved for suitability for general use. For example, fibrin hydrogels tend to shrink and degrade quickly after polymerization, particularly when they contain embedded cells. In addition, their poor mechanical properties and batch-to-batch variability affect their handling, long-term stability, standardization, and reliability. One of the most widely used approaches to improve their properties has been modification of the structure and composition of fibrin hydrogels. In this review, recent advances in composite fibrin scaffolds, chemically modified fibrin hydrogels, interpenetrated polymer network (IPN) hydrogels composed of fibrin and other synthetic or natural polymers are critically reviewed, focusing on their use for tissue engineering.