Effect of cultivation conditions on the structure and morphological properties of BNC biomaterials with a focus on vascular grafts

Book chapter, 2016

20 New materials that are not thrombogenic and have mechanical properties that mimic the native blood vessel are in very great demand. Nanocellulose produced by the bacteria Gluconacetobacter xylinus is a biomaterial that has gained interest in the field of tissue engineering because of its unique properties, such as great mechanical strength, high water content (around 99%), and the ability to be shaped into three-dimensional structures during biosynthesis. The fabrication process of bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) vascular grafts is very unique because the material synthesis and product formation takes place simultaneously. The bio mechanical performance, which includes rupture pressure and compliance along with biological response (endothelialization, blood compatibility, etc.), is dependent on the morphology of a fibrillar network. The network formation is affected by cellulose assembly and bacteria motion, proliferation rate, and other factors. An understanding of the effects of cultivation conditions on BNC network formation is therefore of great importance.