Fibroin hydrogels for biomedical applications: preparation, characterization and in vitro cell culture studies.
Silk fibroin hydrogels prepared either by treating a 2% (w/v) silk fibroin aqeuous solution at 4 degrees C (thermgel) or by adding 30% (v/v) of glycerol (glygel), were characterized by using Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetrical Analysis (TGA) and molecular weight determination. The preparation procedure affected morphology and molecular weight of hydrogels, with no or negligible differences being displayed by FT-IR and DSC analyses. While thermgel presented a well uniform porous structure, the morphology of glygel appeared to be non-porous and heterogeneous. Glygel presented lower water content and lower degradation temperatures, associated with the presence of glycerol but likely also to less-organized protein structures. Cytoxicity tests with human osteoblast-like cells indicated that both gels were not cytoxic, while cell cultures pointed out a faster cell proliferation on glygel and a higher cell activation and differentiation on thermgel. These gels could be used as scaffolds able to promote in situ bone regeneration.
Motta
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A
Department of Materials Engineering and Industrial Technologies, University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, Trento, Italy. antonella.motta@ing.unitn.it
Migliaresi
C
C
Faccioni
F
F
Torricelli
P
P
Fini
M
M
Giardino
R
R
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D012831:Bombyx; D002138:Calibration; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005349:Fibroins / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry*; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D047011:Silk / Q000378:metabolism; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013696:Temperature; D013818:Thermogravimetry; D013997:Time Factors
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020100:Hydrogels; D047011:Silk; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D005349:Fibroins