Biomedical Applications of Polyhydroxyalkanoates

Abstract

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are produced by a large number of microbes under stress conditions such as high carbon (C) availability and limitations of nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and oxygen. Here, microbes store C as granules of PHAs—energy reservoir. PHAs have properties, which are quite similar to those of synthetic plastics. The unique properties, which make them desirable materials for biomedical applications is their biodegradability, biocompatibility, and non-toxicity. PHAs have been found suitable for various medical applications: biocontrol agents, drug carriers, biodegradable implants, tissue engineering, memory enhancers, and anticancer agents.

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