Hyaluronan-Based Functional Materials for Their Biomedical Applications

Hyaluronan (hyaluronic acid, HA) is a linear polysaccharide with disaccharide repeats of D-glucuronic acid and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. As one of the most important glycosaminoglycans, HA is widely distributed in the human body including the extracellular matrix of the vitreous of the eye and cartilage tissue. The physiological functions of HA in the human body to maintain moisture, regulate osmotic pressure, lubricate joints and absorb shock are closely related to their physicochemical properties and rheological properties. The applications of HA-based functional materials mainly include the following three aspects: (1) Various HA-based derivatives and hydrogels are prepared based on the chemical modifications of hydroxyl, carboxyl, and acetamido groups. (2) HA and its derivatives have been widely used as drug carriers for targeted drug delivery based on HA interacting with receptors on the surface of cancer cells (such as CD44, RHAMM and LYVE-1 receptors). (3) HA hydrogels have been widely used in tissue engineering based on the close relationship between HA and human physiological activities. The HA-based biomaterials and their applications in the biomedical field (such as cancer targeted therapy, wound healing, postoperative adhesion, cartilage regeneration and osteoarthritis treatment) have been summarized in this review.