Zein-based polymeric biomaterials: an overview for applications in soft tissue engineering

In recent years, zein, a natural plant protein gained a tremendous importance in biomaterials and tissue engineering due to its tunable properties, mechanical stability and biocompatibility. This review discusses recent developments in zein-based smart biomaterials like scaffolds, nanofibers, composites and printed materials etc. It also highlights the recent applications of different zein-based biomaterials in tissue engineering applications with special emphasis on the soft tissues like skin, vascular, ophthalmic, neural, muscle, cardiac, uterine etc. biomaterial in drug delivery and sensor applications. As we saw promising role of zein biomaterials in regenerative medicine, further can be taken for translational and clinical applications.