title: Soft-matrices based on silk fibroin and alginate for tissue engineering.
abstract: Soft tissue regeneration requires the use of matrices that exhibit adequate mechanical properties as well as the ability to supply nutrients and oxygen, and to remove metabolic bio-products. In this work, we describe the development of hydrogels based on the blend between alginate (Alg) and silk fibroin (SF). Herein, we report two main strategies to combine cells with biomaterials: cells are either seeded onto prefabricated hydrogels films (2D), or encapsulated during hydrogel microcapsules formation (3D). Both geometries were successfully produced and characterized. FTIR results indicated a change of conformation of SF from random coil to β-sheet after hydrogel formation. The thermal degradation behavior of films and microcapsules fabricated from Alg, and Alg/SF was dependent on the hydrogel composition and on the geometry of the samples. The presence of SF caused decreased water uptake ability and affected the degradation behavior. Mechanical tests showed that addition of SF promotes an increase in storage modulus, leading to a stiffer material as compared with pure Alg (6 times higher stiffness). Moreover, the in vitro cell-material interaction on Alg/SF hydrogels of different geometries was investigated using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Viability, attachment, spreading and proliferation of HUVECs were significantly increased on Alg/SF hydrogels compared to neat Alg. These findings indicate that Alg/SF hydrogel is a promising material for the biomedical applications in tissue-engineering and regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomaterials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Cardiology, Medical Clinic 2, University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; Cardiovascular Nanomedicine Unit, Section of Experimental Oncology and Nanomedicine, ENT Department, University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Raminder
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomaterials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Bapi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sarker
authors.affiliation: Solid State Physics Section, Physics Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; School of Materials, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PL Manchester, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Dimitrios G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Papageorgiou
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomaterials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Judith A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Juhasz
authors.affiliation: Institute for Polymer Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Judith A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Roether
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Cardiology, Medical Clinic 2, University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; Cardiovascular Nanomedicine Unit, Section of Experimental Oncology and Nanomedicine, ENT Department, University Hospital Erlangen, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cicha
authors.affiliation: Institute for Polymer Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaschta
authors.affiliation: Institute for Polymer Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Dirk W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Schubert
authors.affiliation: Solid State Physics Section, Physics Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chrissafis
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomaterials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Detsch
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomaterials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: aldo.boccaccini@ww.uni-erlangen.de.
authors.forename: Aldo R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Boccaccini
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005349:Fibroins / Q000737:chemistry*; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D020100:Hydrogels; D005349:Fibroins
keywords: Alginate; Endothelial cells; Silk fibroin; Soft-matrix; Tissue engineering