title: Wool fibril sponges with perspective biomedical applications.
abstract: Sheep's wool was used as a natural source to prepare keratin microfibril sponges for scaffolding, by disruption of the histological structure of the fibres through mild alkali treatment, followed by ultrasonication, casting and salt-leaching. The wool sponges showed highly interconnected porosity (93%) and contain intrinsic sites of cellular recognition that mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM). They displayed good thermal and water stability due to the conversion of disulphide cystine bonds into shorter monosulphide lanthionine intermolecular bonds, but significantly swelled in water, because of the high hydrophilicity and porosity, with a volume increasing up to 38%. Nevertheless, sponges were stable in water without structural changes, with a neutral pH in aqueous media, and showed excellent resilience to repeated compression stresses. According to in vitro biocompatibility assays, wool fibril sponges showed a good cell adhesion and proliferation as proved by MTT, FDA assays and SEM observations. The unique structure of the cortical cell network made by wool keratin proteins with controlled-size macro-porosity suitable for cell guesting, and nutrient feeding, provides an excellent scaffold for future tissue engineering applications.
authors.affiliation: CNR-ISMAC, Italian National Research Council, Institute for Macromolecular Studies, Corso G. Pella 16, 13900, Biella (BI), Italy. Electronic address: a.patrucco@bi.ismac.cnr.it.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patrucco
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, INSTM UdR of Pavia, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 3/B, 27100, Pavia (PV), Italy; Centre for Health Technologies (CHT), University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100, Pavia (PV), Italy. Electronic address: francesco.cristofaro01@universitadipavia.it.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cristofaro
authors.affiliation: CNR-ISMAC, Italian National Research Council, Institute for Macromolecular Studies, Corso G. Pella 16, 13900, Biella (BI), Italy. Electronic address: m.simionati@bi.ismac.cnr.it.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simionati
authors.affiliation: CNR-ISMAC, Italian National Research Council, Institute for Macromolecular Studies, Corso G. Pella 16, 13900, Biella (BI), Italy. Electronic address: m.zoccola@bi.ismac.cnr.it.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zoccola
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, - Physical-Chemistry Section, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 16, 27100, Pavia (PV), Italy. Electronic address: giovanna.bruni@unipv.it.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bruni
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Technologies (CHT), University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100, Pavia (PV), Italy; Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100, Pavia (PV), Italy. Electronic address: lorenzo.fassina@unipv.it.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fassina
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, INSTM UdR of Pavia, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 3/B, 27100, Pavia (PV), Italy; Centre for Health Technologies (CHT), University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100, Pavia (PV), Italy; Department of Occupational Medicine, Toxicology and Environmental Risks, S. Maugeri Foundation, IRCCS, Via S. Boezio, 28, 27100, Pavia (PV), Italy. Electronic address: livia.visai@unipv.it.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Visai
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Technologies (CHT), University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100, Pavia (PV), Italy; Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100, Pavia (PV), Italy. Electronic address: giovanni.magenes@unipv.it.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Magenes
authors.affiliation: CNR-ISMAC, Italian National Research Council, Institute for Macromolecular Studies, Corso G. Pella 16, 13900, Biella (BI), Italy. Electronic address: r.mossotti@bi.ismac.cnr.it.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mossotti
authors.affiliation: CNR-ISMAC, Italian National Research Council, Institute for Macromolecular Studies, Corso G. Pella 16, 13900, Biella (BI), Italy. Electronic address: a.montarsolo@bi.ismac.cnr.it.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montarsolo
authors.affiliation: CNR-ISMAC, Italian National Research Council, Institute for Macromolecular Studies, Corso G. Pella 16, 13900, Biella (BI), Italy. Electronic address: c.tonin@bi.ismac.cnr.it.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tonin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007633:Keratins / Q000737:chemistry*; D012756:Sheep; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014935:Wool / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007633:Keratins
keywords: Bone; Fibrils; Keratin; Sponges; Tissue; Wool