Advances in natural rubber-based biomaterials and composites for tissue engineering application

Abstract

Natural rubber latex (NRL), a renewable biopolymer harvested predominantly from Hevea brasiliensis, has undergone a major conceptual shift from a traditional barrier material to a biologically active scaffold with significant relevance in regenerative medicine. Its unique composition, cis-1,4-polyisoprene particles suspended within a serum rich in proteins, lipids, phospholipids and bioactive signalling molecules, confers inherent angiogenic, anti-inflammatory and pro-healing properties that distinguish NRL from most natural and synthetic elastomers. Over the past two decades, advances in material processing, deproteinisation, composite formulation and structural modification have enabled NRL to be engineered into membranes, sponges, foams, porous scaffolds and ceramic-reinforced hybrids, each with specific regenerative roles. In soft tissue engineering, NRL-based biomembranes have demonstrated the capacity to accelerate granulation tissue formation, stimulate endothelial sprouting, modulate inflammatory responses and promote rapid epithelialisation across chronic ulcers, burns, conjunctival defects, diaphragmatic repairs, and mucosal reconstruction. Parallel innovations in rubber-bioceramic composites have expanded NRL’s application into hard tissue regeneration. Incorporation of hydroxyapatite, calcium phosphate and other ceramic particles improves osteoconductivity, mechanical stability and mineral nucleation, enabling successful use in guided bone regeneration, alveolar preservation, periodontal repair and maxillofacial defect reconstruction. These hybrids combine NRL’s angiogenic bioactivity with the structural features required for mineralised tissue healing. Despite these advances, translational barriers remain, including allergenic Hev b proteins, batch variability, limited biodegradability and sensitivity to sterilisation and storage. Emerging solutions, such as deproteinisation, composite blending with degradable polymers, electrospinning, 3D bioprintable latex-based bioinks and controlled-porosity fabrication, highlight the material’s evolving adaptability. By integrating current findings across polymer chemistry, cellular biology, in vivo models and clinical casework, this review outlines NRL’s progression from a simple biomembrane toward a multifunctional, bioactive scaffold with strong potential in both soft and hard tissue engineering. The cumulative evidence underscores NRL as a sustainable, versatile and increasingly sophisticated biomaterial platform within contemporary regenerative medicine.