Rediscovering Chemical Gardens: Self-Assembling Cytocompatible Protein-Intercalated Silicate-Phosphate Sponge-Mimetic...

The classic chemical garden experiment is reconstructed to produce protein-intercalated silicate-phosphate tubules that resemble tubular sponges. The constructs were synthesized by seeding calcium chloride into a solution of sodium silicate-potassium phosphate and gelatin. Sponge-mimetic tubules were fabricated with varying percentages of gelatin (0-15% w/v), in diameters ranging from 200 μm to 2 mm, characterized morphologically and compositionally, functionalized with biomolecules for cell adhesion, and evaluated for cytocompatibility. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis (EDS) experiments showed that the external surface of the tubules was relatively more amorphous in texture and carbon/protein-rich in comparison to the interior surface. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images indicate a network composed of gelatin incorporated into the inorganic scaffold. The presence of gelatin in the constructs was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to identify inorganic crystalline phases in the scaffolds that are mainly composed of Ca(OH)2, NaCl, and Ca2SiO4 along with a band corresponding to amorphous gelatin. Bioconjugation and coating protocols were developed to program the scaffolds with cues for cell adhesion, and the resulting constructs were employed for 3D cell culture of marine (Pyrocystis lunula) and mammalian (HeLa and H9C2) cell lines. The cytocompatibility of the constructs was demonstrated by live cell assays. We have successfully shown that these biomimetic materials can indeed support life; they serve as scaffolds that facilitate the attachment and assembly of individual cells to form multicellular entities, thereby revisiting the 350-year-old effort to link chemical gardens with the origins of life. Hybrid chemical garden biomaterials are programmable, readily fabricated and could be employed in tissue engineering, biomolecular materials development, 3D mammalian cell culture and by researchers investigating the origins of multicellular life.