Electrospinning of natural polymers for advanced wound care: towards responsive and adaptive dressings

In the last few years, the health-care services have registered worldwide an increased number of patients suffering from chronic wounds and ulcers, which are mainly associated with diabetes, obesity and cancer. The need for regenerating rapidly and effectively the injured skin has stimulated the research of advanced therapies for wound care. This review will discuss how biomimetic architectures produced by electrospinning natural biopolymers fulfil most of the requirements of ideal wound dressings. It will also examine the recent progress in the area of portable electrospinning systems and of multiscale instructive materials that integrate stimuli responsive and sensing elements. Nanofibrous dressings produced by electrospinning proteins and polysaccharides are highly promising candidates in promoting wound healing and skin regeneration.