Mechanical Properties of Artificial Protein Matrices Engineered for Control of Cell and Tissue Behavior
- Creators
- Di Zio, Kathleen
-
Tirrell, David A.
Abstract
Genetic engineering methods were used for the preparation of artificial proteins containing sequences designed to reproduce essential features of the extracellular matrix (ECM). The long-term objective of the work is to develop matrices for use in the engineering of small-diameter vascular grafts. The CS5 domain of fibronectin provides binding sites for vascular endothelial cells, while an elastin-like repeat, [(VPGIG)_2(VPGKG)(VPGIG)_2], controls the mechanical properties and includes sites for covalent cross-linking. Bis(sulfosuccinimidyl) suberate and disuccinimidyl suberate were used to cross-link artificial ECM protein films for uniaxial tensile testing. Variation in the amount of cross-linker and protein weight fraction allowed preparation of films with Young's moduli ranging from 0.07 to 0.97 MPa. The weight fraction of protein in the hydrated, cross-linked films was measured to be between 0.2 and 0.4; the molecular weight between cross-links (M_c) varied from 3000 to 38 000. The moduli and M_c of the films span the ranges reported for natural elastins.
Additional Information
Copyright © 2003 American Chemical Society. Received September 9, 2002; Revised Manuscript Received January 2, 2003. Publication Date (Web): February 14, 2003. This work was supported by NIH Grant 5 RO1 HL59987-03 and by NSF Grant BES-9901648. Mass spectra were recorded in the central facility for mass spectrometry of the Center for the Science and Engineering of Materials at Caltech.Additional details
- Eprint ID
- 53341
- DOI
- 10.1021/ma0256587
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:ZIOm2003
- 5 RO1 HL59987-03
- NIH
- BES-9901648
- NSF
- Created
-
2015-02-07Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
-
2021-11-10Created from EPrint's last_modified field