Production of bacterial cellulose tubes for biomedical applications: Analysis of the effect of fermentation time on selected properties

Biosynthesis of bacterial cellulose (BC) in cylindrical oxygen permeable molds allows the production of hollow tubular structures of increasing interest for biomedical applications (artificial blood vessels, ureters, urethra, trachea, esophagus, etc.). In the current contribution a simple set-up is used to obtain BC tubes of predefined dimensions; and the effects of fermentation time on the water holding capacity, nanofibrils network architecture, specific surface area, chemical purity, thermal stability, mechanical properties, and cell adhesion, proliferation and migration of BC tubes are systematically analysed for the first time. The results reported highlight the role of culture time on key properties of the BC tubes produced, with significant differences arising from the denser and more compact fibril arrangements generated at longer fermentation intervals.