Keratin scaffolds with human adipose stem cells: Physical and biological effects toward wound healing

Abstract

Keratin, a natural biomaterial derived from wool or human hair, has the intrinsic ability to interact with different types of cells and the potential to serve as a controllable extracellular matrix that can be used a scaffold for tissue engineering. In this study, we demonstrated a simple and fast technique to construct 3D keratin scaffolds for accelerated wound healing using a lyophilization method based on extraction of keratin from human hair. The physical properties of the keratin scaffolds such as water uptake, pore size, and porosity can be adjusted by changing the protein concentrations during the fabrication process. The keratin scaffolds supported human adipose stem cells (hASCs) adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. In vivo study performed on ICR mice showed that keratin scaffolds with hASCs shortened skin wound healing time, accelerated epithelialization, and promoted wound remodeling. Therefore, keratin scaffolds alone or together with hASCs may serve as therapeutic agents for repairing wounded tissue.

Recent advances in biomaterials for 3D scaffolds: A review

“…In contrast, keratin is a family of fibrous proteins containing cell adhesion RGD sequences similar to fibronectin. In the form of 3D scaffolds produced by lyophilization method, keratin supported hADSCs adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation and the constructs were proved to shorten wound healing time and accelerate epithelialization in vivo [197]. Gelatin is a biopolymer product of either partial acid or alkaline hydrolysis of animal collagen.…”

Keratin 6, 16 and 17—Critical Barrier Alarmin Molecules in Skin Wounds and Psoriasis

“…Keratin dressings have been shown to accelerate wound closure and epithelialization possibly by enhancing the activation of keratinocytes in mice [91,92]. More recently, scientists found that the addition of human adipose stem cells to keratin scaffolds could further accelerate skin wound healing, re-epithelialization and tissue remodeling [93]. Together, the keratin scaffold represents a new natural biomaterial with great therapeutic potential for wound healing.…”

Engineering with keratin: A functional material and a source of bioinspiration

“…A host of fabrication techniques from electrospinning ( Wang et al., 2016d , 2016e ), wet spinning ( Yue et al., 2018 ), photomask micropatterning ( Yue et al., 2018 ), and compression molding/particulate leaching ( Katoh et al., 2004b ) to freeze casting of aqueous keratin solutions ( Lin et al., 2019 ; Tachibana et al., 2002 ) have been used to create keratin scaffolds. These scaffolds have many advantages, including a stable homogeneous, interconnected, porous structure ( Lin et al., 2019 ; Tachibana et al., 2002 ), free cysteine residues that can be used to bind bioactive substances to the scaffold surface ( Kurimoto et al., 2003 ; Tachibana et al., 2005 ), and resorbability ( Peplow and Dias, 2004 ) that make it a suitable material for tissue engineering and drug delivery ( Lin et al, 2017 , 2018 , 2019 ; Srinivasan et al., 2010 ; Verma et al., 2008 ). These properties have also led to studies on keratin-based biomaterials for wound ( Konop et al., 2017 ; Lin et al., 2018 ; Than et al., 2012 ; Wang et al., 2016d , 2016e ) and burn dressings ( Poranki et al., 2014 ).…”