RT journal article
T1 Structure-Related Mechanical Properties and Bioactivity of Silica–Gelatin Hybrid Aerogels for Bone Regeneration
A1 Reyes Peces, María Virtudes
A1 Fernández Montesinos, Rafael
A1 Mesa Díaz, María del Mar
A1 Cárdenas Leal, José Luis
A1 Rosa Fox, Nicolás Daniel de la
A1 Salido Peracaula, Mercedes
A1 Piñero de los Ríos, Manuel
A1 Vilches Pérez, José Ignacio
A2 Anatomía PatológicaBiología Celular, Histología, Historia de la Ciencia, Medicina Legal y Forense y Toxicología
A2 Física Aplicada
A2 Física de la Materia Condensada
A2 Ingeniería Química y Tecnología de Alimentos
A2 Materno-Infantil y Radiología
K1 bioactivity
K1 bone tissue engineering
K1 cell adhesion
K1 cytoskeleton
K1 gelatin
K1 GPTMS
K1 hybrid aerogel
K1 mineralization
K1 osteoblasts
K1 percolation threshold
AB We report the synthesis of mesoporous silica–gelatin hybrid aerogels with 15, 25, and 30 wt. % gelatin contents, using 3-glycidoxypropyl trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) as a coupling agent, for tissue-engineering applications. Aerogels were obtained using a one-step sol–gel process followed by CO2 supercritical drying, resulting in crack-free monolith samples with bulk densities ranging from 0.41 g cm−3 to 0.66 g cm−3. Nitrogen adsorption measurements revealed an interconnected mesopore network and a general decrease in the textural parameters: specific surface areas (651–361 m2 g−1), pore volume (1.98–0.89 cm3 g−1), and pore sizes (10.8–8.6 nm), by increasing gelatin content. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and uniaxial compression experiments confirmed that the structure, thermal properties and mechanical behavior of these aerogels changed significantly when the concentration of gelatin reached 25 wt.%, suggesting that this composition corresponds to the percolation threshold of the organic phase. In addition, the samples exhibited hydrophilic behavior and extremely fast swelling in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), with swelling ratios from 2.32 to 3.32. Furthermore, in vitro bioactivity studies revealed a strong relationship between the kinetics of the nucleation and growth processes of hydroxyapatite in simulated body fluid (SBF) and the gelatin content. The live/dead assay revealed no cytotoxicity in HOB® osteoblasts in vitro and a positive influence on cell growth, focal adhesion development, and cytoskeletal arrangement for cell adhesion. Mineralization assays confirmed the positive effects of the samples on osteoblast differentiation. The biomaterials described are versatile, can be easily sterilized and are suitable for a wide range of applications in bone tissue-engineering, either alone or in combination with bioactive-reinforced phases.
PB MDPI
SN 2310-2861
YR 2023
FD 2023-01-14
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/29143
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/29143
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 06-nov-2026