Synthesis of collagen nanotubes with highly regular dimensions through membrane-templated layer-by-layer assembly.
Nanotubes made from a fibrillar protein, namely, collagen, were fabricated by a template-based method combined with layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition. The ability to incorporate collagen in LbL multilayered film was first demonstrated by in situ quartz crystal microbalance and ex situ ellipsometry on a flat model substrate, using poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) as polyanion. Collagen-based nanotubes were then fabricated by alternately immersing a polycarbonate membrane, used as template, in PSS and collagen aqueous solutions. Direct evidence for nanotube formation was obtained by dissolving the membrane and imaging the liberated (PSS/collagen)(n) nanostructures by scanning electron microscopy and by transmission electron microscopy. The proposed strategy constitutes a practical alternative to electrospinning as it allows a very good control over the dimensions (outside and inside diameters and length) of the resulting nanotubes. Besides their fundamental interest, collagen-based nanotubes are useful nano-objects for the creation of new nanostructured biomaterials with numerous potential applications in the biomedical field.
Unite de Physique et de Chimie des Hauts Polymeres (POLY), Universite catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud 1, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
Jessem
J
Landoulsi
Cécile J
CJ
Roy
Christine
C
Dupont-Gillain
Sophie
S
Demoustier-Champagne
D003094:Collagen / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D011076:Polycarboxylate Cement / Q000737:chemistry*; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D011791:Quartz / Q000737:chemistry; D012996:Solutions; D013499:Surface Properties; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011076:Polycarboxylate Cement; D011137:Polystyrenes; D012996:Solutions; D014867:Water; D011791:Quartz; C005506:polycarbonate; C003321:polystyrene sulfonic acid; D003094:Collagen