Bioinspired materials-based encapsulation of functional biomolecules for improved biomimetic attributes: a review

Abstract Microencapsulation stands as a cornerstone strategy for controlled delivery and stabilization of functional biomolecules, unlocking potential in biomedical, pharmaceutical, and tissue engineering fields. Unlike prior reviews that catalogue general biomaterials and techniques, this work uniquely adopts a bioinspired perspective to compare natural polymers such as alginate, chitosan, gelatin, cellulose, and collagen based on their biomimetic attributes, including hierarchical structures that enhance biocompatibility, biodegradability, mechanical resilience, and biomolecular activity preservation. This review evaluate key selection criteria alongside major encapsulation methods such as spray/freeze drying, electrospinning, and supercritical fluids, detailing their advantages, limitations, and biomolecule-specific suitability. Furthermore, the characterization strategies for physical, chemical, biological performance, release kinetics, stability, and bioactivity are critically analysed to pinpoint parameters driving encapsulation efficiency and therapeutic outcomes. Therapeutic applications in cancer therapy, wound healing, and regenerative medicine are emphasized through application-driven design principles that prioritize biomimetic mimicry for targeted delivery. Current challenges like scalability, long-term stability, and regulatory hurdles are addressed, alongside emerging directions in smart biomaterials, 3D bioprinting, and in vivo monitoring. This review advances the field by introducing a biomimetic comparison framework absent in existing literature, guiding the rational design of next-generation encapsulation systems that boost clinical translation via enhanced stability, precision targeting, and superior safety-efficacy profiles. Graphical abstract