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.
Landoulsi
Jessem
J
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.
Roy
Cécile J
CJ
Dupont-Gillain
Christine
C
Demoustier-Champagne
Sophie
S
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