What is a key attribute of natural/biologically derived polymers?

Natural or biologically derived polymers are characterized by their bioactive properties, which means they can interact with biological systems in advantageous ways. These interactions can promote tissue regeneration, support cell attachment, and enhance healing processes. Bioactive properties are essential in biomedical applications, such as drug delivery systems, tissue engineering scaffolds, and wound healing materials, because they facilitate biological responses that are crucial for the integration and functionality of engineered tissues in the body.

In contrast, while polymers may exhibit high tensile strength or contribute to low production costs, these characteristics do not universally apply to all natural polymers. Additionally, many naturally derived polymers are biodegradable, which contrasts with the non-biodegradable nature often associated with synthetic polymers. Thus, the presence of bioactive properties stands out as a defining feature that makes natural polymers particularly useful in the biomedical field.