Printing strategies for functional chitosan-based carriers in biomedical and drug delivery applications: A comprehensive review

Chitosan has emerged as a highly versatile biopolymer for the fabrication of functional drug delivery carriers owing to its intrinsic biocompatibility, biodegradability, and chemical tunability. Recent advances in multi-dimensional printing have expanded the design space for chitosan-based systems, enabling precise spatial control, tailored mechanical performance, and the incorporation of stimuli-responsive features where required. This review provides a comprehensive overview of chitosan derivatives and composite formulations, summarizing chemical, physical, and biogenic modification strategies that enhance printability, stability, and drug release profiles. Key printing modalities, including extrusion-, photon-, droplet-, and electric field-based methods, are systematically assessed, with dedicated attention to specialized applications such as microneedle fabrication for transdermal delivery. The role of chitosan as an additive and functional coating to improve mechanical and biological performance in printed constructs is also critically examined. Furthermore, we analyze global patent activity, bibliometric trends, and translational pathways, including commercial products, regulatory approvals, and clinical investigations. Despite significant advances, challenges remain in reproducibility, scalability, and the standardization of evaluation methods, particularly for complex architectures and cell-laden systems. Looking ahead, integration with nanostructures, gene delivery approaches, and computational design tools promises to accelerate the development of intelligent, patient-specific carriers. Overall, this review synthesizes the current state of chitosan-based printing, balancing advances in material science and printing technology with translational considerations for biomedical and drug delivery applications.

Ali Bakhshi, Mahya Bakhshi, Kavosh Zandsalimi, Mojtaba Hosseine, Mohammad Reza Daghigh Shirazi, Seyed Morteza Naghib. Printing strategies for functional chitosan-based carriers in biomedical and drug delivery applications: A comprehensive review. Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports 168 (2025), 101149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mser.2025.101149

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