Figure 8.1
Wound Dressings and Cosmetic Materials from Bacterial Nanocellulose
163
Figure 8.1
(See c
olor i
nsert.).BNC.dressing.
detrimental. degradation. of. proteins. contained. in. the. wound. and. healthy.
tissue.around.the.wound..The.activity.of.these.proteases.is.not.reduced.by.
bacterial.. cellulose.unless.it.is.modified.through.incorporating.collagen.fibers.
(Wiegand.et.al..2006).
BNC.wound.dressings.are.flexible.and.conform.to.the.contour.of.a.wound.
irrespective.of.its.shape.(Figure 8.1).and.depth.and.thereby.reduce.the.threat.
of. harmful. microbial. contamination.. They. are. available. in. any. size. and.
shape,.and.even.large.wounds.can.be.covered.by.a.single.membrane..BNC.
membranes.are.very.light.and.transparent,.but.form.a.mechanically.durable.
and.tight.physical.barrier.to.microbial.contamination.and.additional.injuries.
while.providing.gaseous.exchange.
An. interesting. property. of. BNC. membranes. is. that. they. interact. with.
wounded. and. intact. skin. differently. (Alvarez. et. al.. 2004).. The. perimeter,.
being.in.contact.with.intact.skin,.desiccates.and.forms.a.thin.cellophane-like.
sheet.that.adheres.to.the.outermost.layer.of.the.epidermis.(stratum corneum).
while. the. central. part. of. the. dressing,. which. interacts. with. the. wound,.
remains.moist..This.behavior.prevents.maceration.of.periwound.skin.caused.
by.long-term.exposure.to.moist.dressings.
Application. of. BNC. coverings. significantly. reduces. wound-related. pain..
They.do.not.adhere.to.the.wound.bed,.so.their.changes.and.removal.are.very.
easy.and.painless..Furthermore,.these.dressings.can.be.infused.with.other.
therapeutic.substances.without.deterioration.of.their.inherent.features..Their.
characteristics.can.be.tailored.to.a.patient’s.needs.through.selection.of.appropriate. bacterial. producers. (properties. of. BNC. are. strain. dependent);. their.
genetic. modifications;. changes. in. the. culture. conditions. of. these. strains,.
enabling.synthesis.of.diverse.nanocellulose.pellicles,.beads,.or.dispersions;.
and.various.postculture.treatments.of.nanocellulose.
Wound Dressings and Cosmetic Materials from Bacterial Nanocellulose
163
Figure 8.1
(See c
olor i
nsert.).BNC.dressing.
detrimental. degradation. of. proteins. contained. in. the. wound. and. healthy.
tissue.around.the.wound..The.activity.of.these.proteases.is.not.reduced.by.
bacterial.. cellulose.unless.it.is.modified.through.incorporating.collagen.fibers.
(Wiegand.et.al..2006).
BNC.wound.dressings.are.flexible.and.conform.to.the.contour.of.a.wound.
irrespective.of.its.shape.(Figure 8.1).and.depth.and.thereby.reduce.the.threat.
of. harmful. microbial. contamination.. They. are. available. in. any. size. and.
shape,.and.even.large.wounds.can.be.covered.by.a.single.membrane..BNC.
membranes.are.very.light.and.transparent,.but.form.a.mechanically.durable.
and.tight.physical.barrier.to.microbial.contamination.and.additional.injuries.
while.providing.gaseous.exchange.
An. interesting. property. of. BNC. membranes. is. that. they. interact. with.
wounded. and. intact. skin. differently. (Alvarez. et. al.. 2004).. The. perimeter,.
being.in.contact.with.intact.skin,.desiccates.and.forms.a.thin.cellophane-like.
sheet.that.adheres.to.the.outermost.layer.of.the.epidermis.(stratum corneum).
while. the. central. part. of. the. dressing,. which. interacts. with. the. wound,.
remains.moist..This.behavior.prevents.maceration.of.periwound.skin.caused.
by.long-term.exposure.to.moist.dressings.
Application. of. BNC. coverings. significantly. reduces. wound-related. pain..
They.do.not.adhere.to.the.wound.bed,.so.their.changes.and.removal.are.very.
easy.and.painless..Furthermore,.these.dressings.can.be.infused.with.other.
therapeutic.substances.without.deterioration.of.their.inherent.features..Their.
characteristics.can.be.tailored.to.a.patient’s.needs.through.selection.of.appropriate. bacterial. producers. (properties. of. BNC. are. strain. dependent);. their.
genetic. modifications;. changes. in. the. culture. conditions. of. these. strains,.
enabling.synthesis.of.diverse.nanocellulose.pellicles,.beads,.or.dispersions;.
and.various.postculture.treatments.of.nanocellulose.