Title
Engineering magnetically responsive tropoelastin spongy-like hydrogels for soft tissue regeneration
Author
Tamagno Pesqueira, Raquel Costa-Almeida, Suzanne M. Mithieux, Pedro S. Babo, Albina R. Franco, Bárbara B. Mendes, Rui M. A. Domingues, Paulo Freitas, Rui L. Reis, Manuela E. Gomes, Anthony S. Weiss
Year
2018
Journal
Journal of Materials Chemistry B
Abstract
Magnetic biomaterials are a key focus in medical research. Tropoelastin is the soluble precursor of elastin and is a critical component of tissues requiring elasticity as part of their physiological function. By utilising the versatility of tropoelastin and the ability to tailor its properties, we developed a novel magnetic spongy-like hydrogel based on tropoelastin doped with magnetic properties by in situ precipitation method. The presence of magnetic nanoparticles altered the secondary structure of tropoelastin. Bioengineered tropoelastin-based magnetic spongy-like hydrogels displayed a homogenous distribution of magnetic nanoparticles throughout the tropoelastin network and quick magnetic responsiveness to an applied external magnetic field. Morphologically, in the presence of magnetic nanoparticles, hydrated tropoelastin spongy-like hydrogels showed apparently smaller pore sizes and less swelling. Furthermore, in vitro biological studies using human tendon-derived cells revealed that magnetically responsive tropoelastin spongy-like hydrogels supported cell viability and enabled cell adhesion, spreading and migration into the interior of the spongy-like hydrogel up to two weeks. The bioengineered tropoelastin-based magnetic spongy-like hydrogel represents a novel class of hybrid biomaterial that can serve as a platform for soft tissue regeneration.
Instrument
J-1500
Keywords
Circular dichroism, Secondary structure, Materials, Biochemistry