A biodegradable soy protein isolate-based waterborne polyurethane composite sponge for implantable tissue...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Developing advanced biomaterials is crucial for tissue engineering.
• Biodegradable and biocompatible scaffolds are needed to support cell growth and tissue regeneration.
• Soy protein isolate (SPI) offers a sustainable and renewable resource for biomaterial development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize biodegradable soy protein isolate-based waterborne polyurethane composite sponges (SWPU).
• To investigate the effects of varying SPI content on the microstructure, physical properties, cytocompatibility, and biodegradability of SWPU sponges.
• To evaluate the potential of SWPU-50 composite sponges for tissue engineering applications.

Main Methods:

• Soy protein isolate (SPI) and polyurethane prepolymer (PUP) were reacted and freeze-dried to form SWPU composite sponges.
• Material characterization included FTIR, XRD, SEM, DSC, and TGA to analyze micro-structure and thermal properties.
• Physical properties were assessed via water absorption, solvent resistance, and compressive testing.
• Cytocompatibility and biodegradability were evaluated through in vitro cell culture and in vivo implantation studies.

Main Results:

• The reaction between PUP and SPI formed porous SWPU composite sponges.
• Increasing SPI content enhanced water absorption, hydrophilicity, and dry tensile strength (0.3–5.5 MPa).
• SWPU sponges promoted cell adhesion, growth, and proliferation, indicating good cytocompatibility and accelerated degradation.
• SWPU-50 demonstrated the lowest inflammatory response, highest capillary regeneration, and best histocompatibility in vivo over 9 months.

Conclusions:

• SWPU composite sponges exhibit tunable properties based on SPI content.
• The SWPU-50 composite sponge shows significant promise as a scaffold for tissue engineering due to its excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability.
• This study highlights the potential of utilizing soy protein isolate in developing advanced biodegradable materials for biomedical applications.