Abstract
Deep partial-thickness burns damage most of the dermis and can cause severe pain, scarring, and mortality if left untreated. This study serves to evaluate the effectiveness of crosslinked keratin–alginate composite sponges as dermal substitutes for deep partial-thickness burns. Crosslinked keratin–alginate sponges were tested for the ability to support human dermal fibroblasts in vitro and to support the closure and healing of partial-thickness burn wounds in Sus scrofa pigs. Keratin–alginate composite sponges supported the enhanced proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts compared to alginate-only sponges and exhibited decreased contraction in vitro when compared to keratin only sponges. As dermal substitutes in vivo, the sponges supported the expression of keratin 14, alpha-smooth muscle actin, and collagen IV within wound sites, comparable to collagen sponges. Keratin–alginate composite sponges supported the regeneration of basement membranes in the wounds more than in collagen-treated wounds and non-grafted controls, suggesting the subsequent development of pathological scar tissues may be minimized. Results from this study indicate that crosslinked keratin–alginate sponges are suitable alternative dermal substitutes for clinical applications in wound healing and skin regeneration.
Highlights
This article is an open access articleInterest in the use of materials derived from natural sources for clinical applications has been consistently high, primarily due to the rationale that materials derived from natural sources offer better cell and tissue compliance
The analysis demonstrated that collagen type III was produced by human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cultured in keratincontaining and alginate sponges, not as significantly as in the collagen matrices
As proven in the previous study, the presence of alginate in the keratin–alginate sponges helped to increase the tensile strength, tensile modulus, and compression modulus compared to keratin alone [9]
Summary
This article is an open access articleInterest in the use of materials derived from natural sources for clinical applications has been consistently high, primarily due to the rationale that materials derived from natural sources offer better cell and tissue compliance. Collagens are used commonly for cell-free and cell-based three-dimensional (3D) dermal templates due to their favorable biocompatibility, processability, and ability to stimulate desirable cell responses [2,3] This class of materials has been extensively used as a component in composite materials used for bone implants, patellar tendons, and soft tissue substitutes [4,5]. Hyaluronan is another natural material that is commonly used for regenerative medicine applications in orthopaedics, cardiovascular medicine, pharmacology, and oncology, due to its ability to facilitate angiogenesis, osteointegration, and cell phenotype preservation [6,7]. These examples hint at the potential for materials from natural sources to be explored for various regenerative medicine applications with better understanding of their innate properties and adapting to them appropriately
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