Characteristics of platelet gels combined with silk.
Platelet gel, a fibrin network containing activated platelets, is widely used in regenerative medicine due the capacity of platelet-derived growth factors to accelerate and direct healing processes. However, limitations to this approach include poor mechanical properties, relatively rapid degradation, and the lack of control of release of growth factors at the site of injection. These issues compromise the ability of platelet gels for sustained function in regenerative medicine. In the present study, a combination of platelet gels with silk fibroin gel was studied to address the above limitations. Mixing sonicated silk gels with platelet gels extended the release of growth factors without inhibiting gel-forming ability. The released growth factors were biologically active and their delivery was modified further by manipulation of the charge of the silk protein. Moreover, the silk gel augmented both the rheological properties and compressive stiffness of the platelet gel, tuned by the silk concentration and/or silk/platelet gel ratio. Silk-platelet gel injections in nude rats supported enhanced cell infiltration and blood vessel formation representing a step towards new platelet gel formulations with enhanced therapeutic impact.
['Pallotta|Isabella|I|', 'Kluge|Jonathan A|JA|', 'Moreau|Jodie|J|', 'Calabrese|Rossella|R|', 'Kaplan|David L|DL|', 'Balduini|Alessandra|A|']
D000818:Animals D001792:Blood Platelets D049109:Cell Proliferation D019245:Compressive Strength D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases D005782:Gels D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells D006801:Humans D007150:Immunohistochemistry D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor D051381:Rats D011923:Rats, Nude D012212:Rheology D047011:Silk D013997:Time Factors D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
Platelet gel Silk gel Growth factor delivery Silk biomaterials