Centre for Biomedical Engineering, University of Surrey Guildford, England.
J Biomater Appl. 2011 Aug;26(2):209-26. doi: 10.1177/0885328210364429. Epub 2010 Jun 21.
This study involves the preparation, microstructural, physical, mechanical, and biological characterization of novel gelatine and gelatine/elastin gels for their use in the tissue engineering of vascular grafts. Gelatine and gelatine/elastin nanocomposite gels were prepared via a sol-gel process, using soluble gelatine. Gelatine was subsequently cross-linked by leaving the gels in 1% glutaraldehyde. The cross-linking time was optimized by assessing the mass loss of the cross-linked gels in water and examining their mechanical properties in dynamic mechanical tests. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies revealed elastin nanodomains, homogeneously distributed and embedded in a bed of gelatine nanofibrils in the 30/70 elastin/gelatine gel. It was concluded that the manufactured nanocomposite gels resembled natural arteries in terms of microstructure and stiffness. The biological characterization involved the culture of rat smooth muscle cells (SMCs) on tubular gelatine and gelatine/ elastin nanocomposite gels, and measurements of the scaffold diameter and the cell density as a function of time.
本研究涉及新型明胶和明胶/弹性蛋白凝胶的制备、微观结构、物理、机械和生物学特性，以将其用于血管移植物的组织工程。通过溶胶-凝胶工艺使用可溶明胶制备明胶和明胶/弹性蛋白纳米复合凝胶。然后通过将凝胶留在 1%戊二醛中来交联明胶。通过评估交联凝胶在水中的质量损失并在动态力学测试中检查其机械性能来优化交联时间。原子力显微镜 (AFM) 研究表明，弹性蛋白纳米域均匀分布并嵌入在 30/70 弹性蛋白/明胶凝胶的明胶纳米纤维床中。得出的结论是，制造的纳米复合凝胶在微观结构和刚度方面类似于天然动脉。生物学特性包括在管状明胶和明胶/弹性蛋白纳米复合凝胶上培养大鼠平滑肌细胞 (SMCs)，并测量支架直径和细胞密度随时间的变化。
