Soy Protein-Based Materials for Wound Healing Applications

Soy protein, derived from soybean meal, offers a renewable and biocompatible platform for advanced wound dressings. Its intrinsic amino acid sequences provide sites for cross-linking, enabling the formation of hydrogels, films and fibrous scaffolds with tailored porosity, mechanical strength and degradation rates. Functionalisation strategies—such as chemical modification, incorporation of bioactive agents or integration with polysaccharides and metal ions—have yielded materials that support cell adhesion, proliferation and migration, while offering antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Soy protein-based hydrogels facilitate exudate management and maintain a moist environment, and nanofibrous mats mimic extracellular matrix architecture. Such constructs can deliver growth factors or antibiotics in a controlled manner, promote angiogenesis and modulate immune responses, thereby accelerating tissue regeneration. Challenges remain in scalability, long-term stability and mechanical robustness, but ongoing innovations are charting a path towards sustainable, high-performance wound care solutions with global applicability.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated the versatility of soy protein hydrogels as injectable wound fillers with enhanced reparative functions. One investigation engineered a dual-cross-linked soy protein network incorporating metal ions to achieve rapid gelation, self-healing under dynamic strain and intrinsic antimicrobial activity, leading to accelerated closure in full-thickness skin defect models. Another work described electrospun soy protein isolate blended with bioactive peptides, producing nanofibre mats that closely resemble dermal extracellular matrix and support keratinocyte proliferation; in vivo assessments revealed improved re-epithelialisation and neovascularisation. A further report introduced soy protein–glycosaminoglycan composites, optimised for mechanical resilience and moisture retention, which exhibited favourable macrophage modulation and collagen deposition in diabetic wound environments. These contributions highlight soy protein’s adaptability to multifunctional wound dressings that integrate structural support with biologically active cues.

Soy Protein-Based Materials for Wound Healing Applications publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in soy protein-based materials for wound healing applications across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Hydrogel: A three-dimensional, water-swollen polymer network that provides a hydrated microenvironment suitable for cell growth and wound exudate management.

Schiff base: A reversible covalent bond formed between an amine and an aldehyde, used to cross-link polymers and impart self-healing properties.

Metal–ligand bond: A coordination interaction between metal ions and electron-donating groups on biomolecules, enhancing mechanical strength and antimicrobial activity.

Electrospinning: A technique that uses an electric field to draw charged polymer solutions into ultrafine fibres, creating mats that mimic extracellular matrix structure.

Macrophage polarization: The process by which macrophages adopt phenotypes that promote either inflammation or tissue repair, critical for effective wound resolution.

References

1. Advancing self‐healing soy protein hydrogel with dynamic Schiff base and metal‐ligand bonds for diabetic chronic wound recovery. Aggregate (2024).
2. Antibacterial Soy Protein Isolate Prepared by Quaternization. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2022).