Fabrication and Biological Evaluation In Vivo of an Injectable Keratin Hydrogel as Filler Materials

The study investigated the feasibility of using keratin hydrogels, extracted from human hair, as filler materials for soft tissue. The keratin was extracted using a modified reduction method, maintaining its high molecular weight and self-assembly ability. The injectable keratin hydrogel demonstrated controlled water absorption up to 850%, good biocompatibility, and promoted angiogenesis and cell proliferation in subcutaneous injections in Sprague Dawley rats. These findings suggested that keratin hydrogels have promising applications in soft tissue filler materials.