Extracellular Matrix (ECM) Mimicking Hybrid and Composite Nanofiber Materials: A General Perspective on Structural and Chemical Biomimicry and Their Role in Wound Healing and Skin Modelling

TY - CHAP

T1 - Extracellular Matrix (ECM) Mimicking Hybrid and Composite Nanofiber Materials

T2 - A General Perspective on Structural and Chemical Biomimicry and Their Role in Wound Healing and Skin Modelling

AU - Homaeigohar, Shahin

AU - Boccaccini, Aldo R.

N1 - © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2025 All rights reserved

PY - 2025/12/15

Y1 - 2025/12/15

N2 - The main purpose of implementing biomaterials for regenerative medicine, e.g., in wound healing, is provision of topographical, biochemical, and biomechanical cues to regulate cell activities and to support cell attachment. In this regard, nature has already established a template, i.e., the extracellular matrix (ECM), which has been inspiring in the creation of different classes of biomaterials. Biomaterials that recapitulate the structure, composition, and dynamics of the ECM have been shown to be effective in tissue regeneration and wound healing applications. In particular, nanofiber materials that can simulate the ECM’s collagen nanofilamentous structure, in terms of topography and biochemistry, are highly attractive not only for regeneration of wounded tissue but also for modelling of human native skin to study disease, aging, and therapeutic conditions. Hybrid or composite nanofibers made of synthetic materials, natural materials or a blend of both can not only be employed as wound healing materials, but also as the basis of the epidermal and dermal layer in three-dimensional (3D) organotypic skin models, a new paradigm for modelling of human skin to identify the efficacy of therapeutics and wound healing processes. In this chapter, hybrid and composite nanofibrous materials are discussed from an ECM biomimicry standpoint (structural and biochemical biomimicry) that is crucial for their wound healing and skin modelling application. In collecting the presented information, we mainly considered the innovations carried out in the past five years to provide an updated overview on the ECM mimicking nanofibrous materials that have been applied as wound dressings, skin substitutes, and 3D skin models.

AB - The main purpose of implementing biomaterials for regenerative medicine, e.g., in wound healing, is provision of topographical, biochemical, and biomechanical cues to regulate cell activities and to support cell attachment. In this regard, nature has already established a template, i.e., the extracellular matrix (ECM), which has been inspiring in the creation of different classes of biomaterials. Biomaterials that recapitulate the structure, composition, and dynamics of the ECM have been shown to be effective in tissue regeneration and wound healing applications. In particular, nanofiber materials that can simulate the ECM’s collagen nanofilamentous structure, in terms of topography and biochemistry, are highly attractive not only for regeneration of wounded tissue but also for modelling of human native skin to study disease, aging, and therapeutic conditions. Hybrid or composite nanofibers made of synthetic materials, natural materials or a blend of both can not only be employed as wound healing materials, but also as the basis of the epidermal and dermal layer in three-dimensional (3D) organotypic skin models, a new paradigm for modelling of human skin to identify the efficacy of therapeutics and wound healing processes. In this chapter, hybrid and composite nanofibrous materials are discussed from an ECM biomimicry standpoint (structural and biochemical biomimicry) that is crucial for their wound healing and skin modelling application. In collecting the presented information, we mainly considered the innovations carried out in the past five years to provide an updated overview on the ECM mimicking nanofibrous materials that have been applied as wound dressings, skin substitutes, and 3D skin models.

U2 - 10.1039/9781837677627-00001

DO - 10.1039/9781837677627-00001

M3 - Chapter (peer-reviewed)

SN - 9781837673742

T3 - Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Series

SP - 1

EP - 52

BT - Hybrid and Composite Nanofibrous Materials for Wound Healing Applications

A2 - Homaeigohar, Shahin

A2 - Roether, Judith A.

A2 - Boccaccini, Aldo R.

PB - Royal Society of Chemistry

ER -