Fungal-Derived Chitin and Chitosan: Sustainable Biomaterials for Advanced Wound Management

Chitin and its deacetylated derivative, chitosan, are natural polymeric polysaccharides derived from crustaceans, fungi, and insects with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and biocompatible bioactivities. As a complement to crustacean biomass, fungi provide a sustainable source of chitin/chitosan. Recent biotechnology and materials science advancements have stimulated significant research interest in applying fungal-derived chitin and chitosan for wound healing materials. This paper comprehensively reviews fungal chitin/chitosan-based materials for wound healing applications, encompassing innovative forms, such as nanoparticles, membranes, hydrogels, sponges, microfibrous nonwovens, and nanofibrous scaffolds. Moreover, this Review elucidates the limitations of using fungal chitin and chitosan in wound healing applications, including low purity and extraction yield, inadequate quality control measures, suboptimal biocompatibility, and insufficient evaluation of action mechanisms. To advance the innovation and commercialization of fungal-derived chitin- and chitosan-based wound healing materials, it is imperative to enhance multidisciplinary collaboration among microbiology, chemistry, materials science, and clinical medicine.