Poly (α-caprolactone) (PCL) biopolymeric bionanoarchitectures for tissue engineering applications

Poly (alpha-caprolactone) (PCL) is one of the most commonly utilized synthetic polymeric matrices for long-term implants and drug delivery applications. PCL displays gradual rates of degradation in comparison with other biodegradable polymeric matrices relative to in vivo and in vitro kinetics thereby presenting it as one of the most appropriate biomaterial essential in applications where gradual degradation is paramount. The outstanding mechanical and degradation capability, copolymerization affinity with inorganic as well as organic entities, and inexpensiveness present PCL as an attractive material for tissue engineering (TE) applications. However, due to certain PCL disadvantages including, bioactivity, hydrophobicity, and gradual rate of degradation, its inherent prospective application in TE is highly limited. Hence, it has become imperative to functionalize PCL using nanoparticles, such as carbon and derivatives, nanoclay and derivatives, and so on, to enlarge its scope of applications in TE. Therefore, this paper presents recently emerging trends in PCL bionanoarchitectures for TE applications.