Protein-based biomaterials offer an unusually high level of human compatibility.

A team of scientists has developed biomaterials based on human keratin proteins. The research, funded by Southwest Research Institute (San Antonio, TX; 210/684-5111), focuses on chemical modification of human hair keratins to create keratin-based hydrogels, elastomers, and coatings. Keratins, proteins that make up structural elements of vertebrate tissues, feature homologs numbering more than 100. Human hair keratins provide a structural diversity ideal for biomaterials and are highly tolerated as implantable materials. Once the human keratins are modified, they are processed into biomaterials with tailored chemical, physical, and biological properties. Testing of the biomaterials has revealed the potential of keratins to enhance tissue growth and promote tissue repair. Applications include wound healing, coatings for medical implants, soft tissue augmentation, cellular and protein therapy delivery, and matrices and scaffolds for tissue engineering.