Albumin as a Biomaterial and Therapeutic Agent in Regenerative Medicine

Abstract

Albumin is a constitutional plasma protein, with well-known biological functions, e.g., a nutrient for stem cells in culture. However, albumin is underutilized as a biomaterial in regenerative medicine. This review summarizes the advanced therapeutic uses of albumin, focusing on novel compositions that take advantage of the excellent regenerative potential of this protein. Albumin coating can be used for enhancing the biocompatibility of various types of implants, such as bone grafts or sutures. Albumin is mainly known as an anti-attachment protein; however, using it on implantable surfaces is just the opposite: it enhances stem cell adhesion and proliferation. The anticoagulant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties of albumin allow fine-tuning of the biological reaction to implantable tissue-engineering constructs. Another potential use is combining albumin with natural or synthetic materials that results in novel composites suitable for cardiac, neural, hard and soft tissue engineering. Recent advances in materials have made it possible to electrospin the globular albumin protein, opening up new possibilities for albumin-based scaffolds for cell therapy. Several described technologies have already entered the clinical phase, making good use of the excellent biological, but also regulatory, manufacturing and clinical features of serum albumin.

Direct Application of 3-Maleimido-PROXYL for Proving Hypoalbuminemia in Cases of SARS-CoV-2 Infection: The Potential Diagnostic Method of Determining Albumin Instability and Oxidized Protein Level in Severe COVID-19

“…HSA plays important metabolic roles by binding and transporting various molecules and modulating the immune response [ 42 ]. It has antioxidant properties, plays a major role in maintaining the redox balance in the body, and contains the largest thiol pool.…”

Sustainable Biodegradable Biopolymer-Based Nanoparticles for Healthcare Applications

“…They are successfully used as nanocarriers in the treatment and diagnosis of various diseases, as they can effectively and safely deliver nonspecifically distributed drugs in the body which can cause serious side effects [ 71 , 130 ]. Albumin-based nanoparticles have already been developed for the treatment of cancer, diabetes, hepatitis C, and arthritis [ 131 , 132 ]. Yan et al [ 130 ] prepared albumin nanoparticles loaded with prednisolone and curcumin using a high-pressure homogenization method.…”

Insight on Serum Albumin: From Structure and Biological Properties to Functional Biomaterials for Bone Repair

“…Conformational changes of HSA are reversible at 25−55 °C, and the secondary structure can be retained up to 60 °C, whereas BSA is reversible at 42−50 °C and irreversible changes occur above 50 °C. 12 OVA solubility decreases with increasing ammonium sulfate concentration, so high-concentration ammonium sulfate is commonly used to obtain OVA crystallization in egg white. 44 Ovalbumin loses its molecular stability and aggregates when heated, but thermal stability is improved by glycation.…”