Water-dispersed bone morphogenetic protein nanospheres prepared by co-precipitation method

A modified complex coacervation-co-precipitation method was used to prepare bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-loaded nanospheres. Three natural polymers were used as packing materials to obtain nanoscale delivery device for BMP, in the presence of phosphatidylcholine functioning as stabilizer. Positively charged polysaccharide, N,N-diethylaminoethyl dextran (DEAE-dextran) tended to form stable, uniform and smaller size particles carrying BMP. Negatively charged bovine serum albumin (BSA) induced precipitation of the produced BMP particles due to its weak interaction with BMP molecules, although it produced nanosized BMP spheres. While collagen, a weakly positively charged protein shaped larger particles due to the strong interaction among themselves. A mechanism of co-precipitation process was also deduced to depict the formation of stable nanospheres.