Sea squirt-inspired bio-derived tissue sealants

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Marine Biology Inspiration

Background:

• Current surgical adhesives often rely on petroleum products, lacking biodegradability and affordability.
• Existing sealants can involve complex synthesis, limiting accessibility and increasing costs.
• Sea squirts utilize gallol-protein crosslinking for natural wound healing.

Approach:

• Developed a bio-based tissue sealant using zein (plant protein) and tannic acid (polyphenol).
• Investigated sealant performance with and without the enzyme transglutaminase.
• Evaluated adhesion strength across nine tissue substrates and compared with FDA-approved fibrin sealant (Tisseel).

Key Points:

• Sealant adhesion exceeded physiological pressures on most tested substrates.
• Demonstrated rapid wound sealing (<1 minute) in ex vivo models.
• Achieved cytocompatibility and effective in vivo wound healing in rat models, comparable to sutures and Tisseel.

Conclusions:

• The developed bio-based sealant offers a low-cost, easily synthesized alternative to conventional surgical adhesives.
• Sea squirt-inspired mechanism provides a novel approach for effective wound closure.
• This sealant shows significant potential to advance wound management and surgical practices.