title: Development and Characterization of a 3D Printed, Keratin-Based Hydrogel.
abstract: Keratin, a naturally-derived polymer derived from human hair, is physiologically biodegradable, provides adequate cell support, and can self-assemble or be crosslinked to form hydrogels. Nevertheless, it has had limited use in tissue engineering and has been mainly used as casted scaffolds for drug or growth factor delivery applications. Here, we present and assess a novel method for the printed, sequential production of 3D keratin scaffolds. Using a riboflavin-SPS-hydroquinone (initiator-catalyst-inhibitor) photosensitive solution we produced 3D keratin constructs via UV crosslinking in a lithography-based 3D printer. The hydrogels obtained have adequate printing resolution and result in compressive and dynamic mechanical properties, uptake and swelling capacities, cytotoxicity, and microstructural characteristics that are comparable or superior to those of casted keratin scaffolds previously reported. The novel keratin-based printing resin and printing methodology presented have the potential to impact future research by providing an avenue to rapidly and reproducibly manufacture patient-specific hydrogels for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications.
authors.affiliation: Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, 2330 Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building, 8228 Paint Branch Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
authors.forename: Jesse K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Placone
authors.affiliation: Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, 2330 Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building, 8228 Paint Branch Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.affiliation: Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, 2330 Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building, 8228 Paint Branch Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Laslo
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Max J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lerman
authors.affiliation: KeraNetics, LLC, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Alexis R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Gabard
authors.affiliation: KeraNetics, LLC, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Herendeen
authors.affiliation: KeraNetics, LLC, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Erin E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Falco
authors.affiliation: KeraNetics, LLC, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Seth
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomblyn
authors.affiliation: KeraNetics, LLC, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Burnett
authors.affiliation: Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, 2330 Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building, 8228 Paint Branch Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA. jpfisher@umd.edu.
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D007633:Keratins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D066330:Printing, Three-Dimensional; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D007633:Keratins
keywords: Biomaterial; Hydrogel; Keratin