Authors : Aarti Baliga and Shashikant Borkar
Abstract: In order to evaluate the application of keratin protein in its natural form for tissue engineering, wool fibres were subjected to in vitro cytotoxicity tests. Non-woven felts of wool fibre were plasma treated to increase its wettability. These felts were also tested for cytotoxicity. Extraction test as laid down in European and international standards (ISO/EN 109935 Guidelines) was performed on both the wool fibre samples as well as the plasma treated wool felt samples. L 929 cells which are mouse kidney fibroblast cells which are low maintenance, rapidly growing adherent cells forming confluent carpet formation were used. The test sample is non-cytotoxic if the percentage viability of 100% test sample is >70%. Cell viability percentage of 87.35 and 89.38% for wool fibres and the plasma treated felt, respectively showed no cytotoxic character. The results suggest that wool fibres can be used as a biomaterial for tissue engineering applications.
Aarti Baliga and Shashikant Borkar, 2017. In Vitro Cytotoxicity Characterisation of Keratin Protein for Tissue Engineering Applications. Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 12: 8035-8038.