Novel biopolymer-based hydrogels obtained through crosslinking of keratose proteins using tetrakis(hydroxymethyl) phosphonium chloride

Development of cytocompatible protein-based hydrogels crosslinked using tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium chloride

“…Our observations were similar to the previous study by Yalçın et al , who reported a decrease in the swelling ratio from 69 ± 4 to 23 ± 3 with an increase in the keratose:THPC reactive groups ratio from 1 : 2 to 1 : 4 due to an increase in the crosslinking density of the hydrogels. 11 Thermal treatment method was found to increase the swelling ratio of both gelatin–THPC and gelatin–LAPONITE®–THPC hydrogels. Among all the samples studied, maximum swelling ratio of 225.21 ± 11.25% was attained by the thermally treated gelatin–THPC hydrogel at 6 mM THPC concentration at the end of 24 hours.…”

“…In a recent study conducted by Yalçın et al , keratose proteins were crosslinked using THPC to develop a novel biopolymer-based scaffold which was characterized using various techniques. 11 The hydrogels exhibited an excellent cell proliferation rate but the concentration of THPC used was low (<∼6 mM) to avoid its cytotoxic effects. Thus, as evident from previous reports, THPC-based hydrogels exhibit cell viability and proliferation either at a low concentration of THPC or with additional structural modifications in the base proteins.…”