Tissue engineering strives to achieve the level of efficiency of natural tissues and its major aim is to mimic as closely as possibly the structure and basic function of the targeted tissues. [1] A wide variety of natural and synthetic materials (in combinations) have been used to meet this demand. [1,2] To aid in the healing of damaged or diseased tissues, stimuli such as growth factors have been supplied to progenitor cells. [1,2,3] These proteins trigger a series of metabolic pathways leading to cellular proliferation, differentiation and functionality. The challenge is to supply these proteins in the proper amounts, which lie in the range of nano or even picograms, and continuously for a defined period of time. Alginate hydrogels are widely used to as a drug delivery system [4]. Proteins can be incorporated within nanoparticles to increase their drug delivery capability and their role as a tissue-engineering scaffold. We used halloysite nanoparticles as carriers for the delivery of BMPs 2, 4 and 6. Halloysite nanoparticles showed a sustained release of all BMPs over a 7-day period with the dosage in picograms per milliliter. These nanoparticles were shown to increase osteoblast cellular response and increase hydrogel material properties.References:[1] A. O. Oseni, et al, �Cartilage Tissue Engineering: the Application of Nanomaterials and Stem Cell Technology�, Tissue Engineering for Tissue and Organ Regeneration, August 2011.[2] S. M. Willerth, et al, �Combining stem cells and biomaterial scaffolds for constructing tissues and cell delivery�, StemBook, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, 2011[3] V. Kumar, et al, �Robbins and Cotran: Pathologic Basis of Disease�, Elsevier Books, Seventh edition, p 87-91, July 2004.[4] E. Kamoun, �Alginate Hydrogel as Drug Delivery System: Preparation of Alginate Hydrogel and its Application as Drug Delivery System�, VDM Verlag, Dr. Muller, October 2010.

Nanoclay tubes as containers for the delivery of bioactive molecules and enhancement of material properties of tissue engineering scaffolds

245th National Meeting (2013)

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