Chitooligosaccharides for wound healing biomaterials engineering.

Chitooligosaccharides (CHOS) are oligomers of ß-(1-4) linked N-acetylglucosamine and D-glucosamine that are produced from chitin or chitosan using different enzymatic or chemical methods. CHOS are water-soluble and non-cytotoxic with diverse bioactivities such as antibacterial, anti-inflammation, anti-obesity, anti-tumor and antioxidant. These biological features make CHOS promising compounds for several medical and food applications. In this review, we critically summarize the biological activities of CHOS in biomaterials engineering with a particular focus on CHOS applications for skin tissue healing and regeneration. We also present an updated overview of CHOS fabrications into wound dressing biomaterials for several in vitro and in vivo studies.