Sustainable cellulose and its derivatives for promising biomedical applications

Novel biomedical materials provide a new horizon for the diagnosis/treatment of diseases and tissue repair. Cellulose, mainly found in trees and other biomass, is one of the most sought-after natural polymers. After moderate physical treatment of cellulose fibers or chemical modification of cellulose macromolecules, the resulting cellulose derivatives can be uniformly dispersed in water or dissolved or organic solvents. This makes it attractive for developing unique cellulose-based biomedical materials including medicines, biogels, scaffolds, healthy & medical sensors and devices. Due to their biocompatibility, tissue non-toxicity, and structural/functional designability, these materials show promising biomedical applications. Here, we briefly introduce the structural characteristics, functionalization methods, and advanced biomedical applications of cellulose. We also discuss the current status and application prospects of cellulose and its derivatives for nutraceuticals, wound dressings, drug delivery, tissue engineering, electronic skin, and bioassays. Finally, we highlight some key technologies and strategies to broaden the application prospects of cellulose-based materials for biological and biomedical field.