Keratin-based electrospun nanofibers for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications

Keratin-based electrospun nanofibers have gained increasing attention as promising biomaterials for drug delivery and tissue engineering due to their intrinsic biocompatibility, bioactivity, and controlled biodegradability. Keratin is rich in functional groups and natural cell-recognition motifs, enabling favorable cell-material interactions, including enhanced adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. When processed into nanofibrous scaffolds via electrospinning, keratin can closely replicate the nanoscale architecture of the native extracellular matrix, offering high surface area and interconnected porosity that support therapeutic loading and tissue regeneration. This review critically summarizes recent progress in the fabrication of keratin-based electrospun nanofibers, with particular emphasis on electrospinning parameters, keratin-polymer blending strategies, and surface modification approaches used to tailor fiber morphology, mechanical properties, and degradation behavior. Methods for incorporating small-molecule drugs, proteins, growth factors, and nanoparticles are discussed, highlighting their influence on encapsulation efficiency, release profiles, and biological performance. Key biomedical applications are reviewed, including wound healing, skin and soft-tissue repair, bone and cartilage regeneration, and localized cancer therapy, where keratin nanofibers have demonstrated improved healing outcomes, reduced infection, and enhanced tissue integration compared with conventional biomaterial systems. Current challenges related to keratin source variability, limited mechanical strength for load-bearing applications, scalability, and regulatory translation are analyzed. Finally, future perspectives are outlined, focusing on hybrid and stimuli-responsive keratin-based nanofibers and sustainable processing strategies, underscoring their potential as clinically relevant platforms for advanced biomaterials applications.