Modular Elastic Patches: Mechanical and Biological Effects

A modular approach to engineering cross-linked elastic biomaterials is presented for fine-tuning of material mechanical and biological properties. The three components, soluble elastin, hyaluronic acid, and silk fibroin, contribute with different features to the overall properties of the final material system. The elastic biomaterial is chemically cross-linked via interaction between primary amine groups naturally present on the two proteins, silk and elastin, or chemically introduced on hyaluronan and N-succinimide functionalities of the cross-linker. The materials obtained by cross-linking the three components in different ratios have Young's moduli ranging from ∼ 100 to 230 kPa, strain to failure between ∼ 15-40% and ultimate tensile strengths of ∼ 30 kPa. The biological effects and enzymatic degradation rates of the different composites are also different based on material composition. These findings further underline the strength of modular, multicomponent systems in creating a range of biomaterials, targeted tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine applications, with application-tailored mechanical and biological properties.