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Collagen gel formation in the presence of a carbon nanobrush

  • Biomaterials Synthesis and Characterization
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Abstract

Type I, bovine skin collagen was allowed to gel in the presence of various concentrations of a carbon nanotube material covered with a polystyrene/polyaniline copolymer, called a carbon nanobrush (CNB). The rate of collagen gelation was enhanced by the presence of the CNB in a dose dependent manner. The extent of collagen gelation was due to the concentration of collagen and not the amount of CNB. Collagen D-periodicity, and average fibril diameter were unchanged by the CNB material as seen in transmission electron micrographs. Gel tensile strength was reduced by the presence of the CNB in a dose related manner. The collagen-CNB mixture may have a role in the repair and reconstruction of wounds or degenerated connective tissue.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Mr. Richard White for his use of the Jasco TEM instrument and to thank Mr. David Bagley, of Advanced BioMatrix for his rheometric testing of the collagen gel samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA

    George W. Dombi, Kaushalkumar Purohit & Sze C. Yang

  2. Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA

    Lenore M. Martin

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  1. George W. Dombi
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  2. Kaushalkumar Purohit
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  3. Lenore M. Martin
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  4. Sze C. Yang
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Correspondence to George W. Dombi.

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Dombi, G.W., Purohit, K., Martin, L.M. et al. Collagen gel formation in the presence of a carbon nanobrush. J Mater Sci: Mater Med 26, 30 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-014-5356-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-014-5356-4

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