Bovine serum albumin-based hydrogels: Preparation, properties and biological applications

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) is a common raw material for preparing hydrogels owing to its rich amino acid residues. In addition, because it has a structure and properties similar to those of albumin in the human body, it has more advantages than those of other traditional polymers used in the field of hydrogel research. Hydrogels constructed using BSA have a wide application potential in the biomedical field owing to their excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability. In this paper, the research on BSA-based hydrogels over the past decade is reviewed in detail. First, the preparation methods and mechanisms of BSA-based hydrogels, including physical and chemical crosslinking, are briefly summarized. Second, the typical properties of BSA-based hydrogels, including their mechanical, adhesion, self-healing, responsiveness, fluorescence, and biological properties are reviewed. Subsequently, the applications of BSA-based hydrogels in the delivery of drugs or nutrients, wound dressings, cell engineering, tissue engineering, and biosensors are discussed. Finally, challenges and future directions are proposed.