Riboflavin-UVA gelatin crosslinking: Design of a biocompatible and thermo-responsive biomaterial with enhanced mechanical properties for tissue engineering

¹Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco (IQUIMEFA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET),Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Junín 956 Piso 3◦, Buenos Aires, 1113, Argentina

²Instituto en Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales, Universidad de Mar del Plata, (CONICET), Juan B. Justo 4302, Mar del Plata, 7606, Argentina

Adv. Mater. Lett., 2019, 10 (5), pp 324-328

DOI: 10.5185/amlett.2019.2210

Publication Date (Web): Jan 14, 2019

Copyright © IAAM-VBRI Press

E-mail: desimone@ffyb.uba.ar

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to develop an economic, environmentally friendly and malleable biomaterial for tissue engineering applications. Water and glycerol have been used as solvents for the gelatin hydrogel synthesis. This solvent mixture led to a biomaterial with improved thermal properties. Indeed, a 16°C increase in thermal transition temperature was achieved. Furthermore, to enhance mechanical properties, riboflavin was used as a crosslinking agent. Chemical crosslinking step was initiated with UV radiation to obtain riboflavin radical polymerization of gelatin chains, hence, rheological properties of gelatin hydrogel were improved. Thus, Gelatin-UV-Riboflavin hydrogel showed good swelling and increased mechanical properties, obtaining a novel material for drug delivery and medical purposes.

Keywords

Tissue engineering, biopolymer, crosslinking.