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

October 2015 in “ Journal of bioactive and compatible polymers ”

Shan Xu, Chunlei Zhang, Aifeng Zhang, Haoyu Wang, Huaxin Rao, Ziyong Zhang

keratin hydrogel keratin soft tissue filler angiogenesis cell proliferation biocompatibility

Studysummary This study found that keratin hydrogels extracted from human hair showed potential as biodegradable and biocompatible filler materials, promoting angiogenesis and cell proliferation in rat models.

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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.

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Research cited in this study

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research Human Keratin Hydrogels Support Fibroblast Attachment and Proliferation In Vitro

143 citations , January 2012 in “Cell and Tissue Research”

research Mechanical and Biological Properties of Keratose Biomaterials

140 citations , August 2011 in “Biomaterials”

This study observed that keratose, derived from human hair, integrated well in mouse tissue and remodeled with collagen, suggesting potential as a non-toxic biomaterial for regenerative applications.

research Keratin Hydrogels Support the Sustained Release of Bioactive Ciprofloxacin

99 citations , June 2011 in “Journal of biomedical materials research. Part A”

This study observed that keratose hydrogels sustained ciprofloxacin release over three weeks and inhibited Staphylococcus aureus growth in vitro for 23 days and in mice for 2 weeks.

research A Review of Keratin-Based Biomaterials for Biomedical Applications

517 citations , February 2010 in “Materials”

This review discusses the history and development of keratin biomaterials for biomedical uses, highlighting their biological activity and biocompatibility, and provides no new research findings.

research The Human Keratins: Biology And Pathology

1398 citations , May 2008 in “Histochemistry and Cell Biology”

This review summarizes the cell type distribution and functional significance of human keratins, emphasizing their roles in tumor diagnosis and potential clinical applications, and reports no new clinical findings.

research Preparation of Scaffolds from Human Hair Proteins for Tissue-Engineering Applications

177 citations , April 2008 in “Biomedical Materials”

This study found that scaffolds made from human hair proteins supported better cell growth and interactions than control surfaces, indicating potential use in tissue engineering.

research The Use of Keratin Biomaterials Derived from Human Hair for the Promotion of Rapid Regeneration of Peripheral Nerves

309 citations , October 2007 in “Biomaterials”

This study found that a biomaterial gel made from human hair keratins facilitated nerve regeneration in an animal model, potentially matching the effectiveness of traditional autografts.

research Human Hair Keratin-Associated Proteins

226 citations , January 2006 in “International review of cytology”

Keratin-associated proteins are crucial for hair strength and structure.

research A Rapid Extraction Procedure of Human Hair Proteins and Identification of Phosphorylated Species

226 citations , January 2002 in “Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin”

This study developed a rapid method to extract proteins from human hair, revealing phosphorylation on serine and threonine residues in alpha-keratins and matrix proteins.