Preparation of orientated fibrous mats from fibronectin: composition and stability

The biochemical characteristics of a novel biomaterial, based on the aggregated adhesive protein, fibronectin (Fn), are reported here. Fibrous, orientated mats, formed from solution under directional shear, could be made to incorporate heparin (typically 3.2 mu mg/mg fibronectin). Mats were hygroscopic, doubling their mass by water uptake in less than 10 h from humid air. After an initial rapid loss of protein into physiological solutions over 24 h, mats were stable and not rapidly degraded by fibroblasts. With or without heparin, mats bound basic fibroblast growth factor, which was then released only slowly. Such materials may prove useful models of in vivo tissue Fn function and as clinical implants to organize tissue repair.