In situ construction of bacterial cellulose-based hydrogels: Mechanisms, functionalization strategies, and biomedical applications.

Abstract

The past several decades have witnessed great success in bacterial cellulose (BC) and its hydrogel composites in terms of both broad and in-depth basic research and potential biomedical applications. Inspired by the natural properties of microorganisms, in situ biosynthesis strategies are receiving increasing attention for the structural and functional design of BC-based hydrogels. This review discusses these strategies with emphasis on their fabrication processes and underlying mechanisms. Structure-property relationships governing BC-based hydrogels-molecular structure, nanofibrous architecture, biocompatibility, mechanical performance, and hydration behavior are examined to establish a process-structure-property framework. Biomedical applications including wound healing, drug delivery, osteogenic therapy, bioelectronic sensing, and cardiovascular repair are critically evaluated with quantitative comparison to conventional materials. Finally, challenges and future prospects in standardized characterization, scalable manufacturing, biosafety assessment, and clinical translation are discussed. This review provides a mechanism-oriented guide for developing BC-based hydrogels via in situ strategies for next-generation healthcare applications.