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Biomimetic microgels with controllable deformability improve healing outcomes
Erin P Sproul1,2, Seema Nandi1,2, Colleen Roosa1
1Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Raleigh, NC USA.
Advanced Biosystems
|February 10, 2021
Summary
Researchers developed hollow platelet-like particles (PLPs) that mimic clot retraction. These PLPs enhance fibrin clot collapse and improve wound healing in vivo.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
- Hemostasis Research
Background:
- Platelets are crucial for hemostasis, aggregating to form clots and retracting the fibrin network to promote wound healing.
- Clot retraction by platelets enhances clot stability and restores blood flow to ischemic tissues.
- Mimicking platelet function with biomaterials offers potential therapeutic strategies for wound healing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop hollow platelet-like particles (PLPs) capable of controlled clot retraction.
- To investigate the relationship between microgel shell crosslinking and particle deformability.
- To evaluate the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of PLPs in promoting wound healing.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of hollow N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) microgels and CoreShell (CS) microgels with varying shell crosslinking.
- Coupling fibrin-binding antibodies to microgels to create PLPs.
- Assessing particle morphology, deformability, and fibrin clot retraction in vitro.
- Evaluating wound healing outcomes in vivo using PLP treatment.
Main Results:
- Hollow microgels with loosely crosslinked shells exhibited high deformability and mimicked activated platelet morphology.
- PLPs derived from these hollow microgels induced fibrin clot collapse in vitro, recapitulating platelet clot retraction.
- Intact CS microgels and highly crosslinked hollow microgels did not exhibit these functions.
- Hollow PLPs with low shell crosslinking demonstrated improved wound healing outcomes in vivo.
Conclusions:
- Hollow, deformable microgels can be engineered to mimic platelet clot retraction.
- PLPs with controlled deformability represent a promising biomaterial for enhancing hemostasis and wound healing.
- This study provides a foundation for developing novel biomimetic materials for regenerative medicine applications.
