Keratin Additive for Cellular Adhesion in Transcutaneous Prosthetics

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Dermal Regeneration

Background:

• The skin's dermal barrier is crucial for protection but difficult to restore after rupture.
• Transcutaneous interventions require robust barrier restoration methods.
• Phalangeal nails offer insights into biological barrier phenomena.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate hydrolyzed keratin as an additive for dermal tissue engineering scaffolds.
• To assess keratin's effect on cell adhesion and scaffold properties.
• To identify optimal keratin concentrations for electrospun fibers and cryogels.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of electrospun fibers and chitosan-gelatin cryogels with varying keratin concentrations.
• Testing of scaffold surface properties, mechanical strength, and biocompatibility.
• Evaluation of cell adhesion and proliferation on keratin-modified scaffolds.

Main Results:

• Hydrolyzed keratin positively influenced cell adhesion and proliferation.
• Optimal keratin concentrations (5-7 wt/wt% for fibers, 3-5 wt/v% for cryogels) enhanced cell counts and material properties.
• High keratin concentrations negatively impacted scaffold integrity and mechanical strength.

Conclusions:

• Hydrolyzed keratin is a promising additive for dermal tissue engineering scaffolds.
• Specific keratin concentrations optimize cell adhesion and material performance in electrospun fibers and cryogels.
• This approach holds potential for improving transcutaneous interventions and wound healing.