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Development and Characterization of a 3D Printed, Keratin-Based Hydrogel
Jesse K Placone1, Javier Navarro1, Gregory W Laslo1
1Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, 2330 Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building, 8228 Paint Branch Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
Annals of Biomedical Engineering
|May 1, 2016
Summary
Researchers developed a novel 3D printing method for keratin scaffolds using a photosensitive solution. This technique enables rapid, reproducible production of patient-specific hydrogels for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Keratin, a biodegradable polymer from human hair, offers cell support and hydrogel formation capabilities.
- Current applications of keratin in tissue engineering are limited, primarily to casted scaffolds for drug delivery.
- Existing methods restrict the potential of keratin-based biomaterials in advanced tissue regeneration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present and evaluate a novel method for the 3D printed, sequential production of keratin scaffolds.
- To assess the properties of 3D printed keratin hydrogels compared to traditional casted scaffolds.
- To establish a new avenue for manufacturing patient-specific hydrogels for regenerative medicine.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a lithography-based 3D printer with a photosensitive riboflavin-SPS-hydroquinone solution.
- Employed UV crosslinking to fabricate 3D keratin constructs.
- Characterized the resulting hydrogels for printing resolution, mechanical properties, swelling, cytotoxicity, and microstructure.
Main Results:
- Successfully produced 3D keratin scaffolds with adequate printing resolution.
- Achieved compressive and dynamic mechanical properties comparable or superior to casted scaffolds.
- Demonstrated favorable swelling capacities and non-cytotoxic characteristics.
Conclusions:
- The novel printing resin and methodology enable rapid, reproducible manufacturing of 3D keratin scaffolds.
- 3D printed keratin hydrogels exhibit promising properties for tissue engineering applications.
- This technique has the potential to advance the development of patient-specific hydrogels for regenerative medicine.
