Physiologically clotted fibrin - Preparation and characterization for tissue engineering and drug delivery applications

Fibrin used for biomedical applications is prepared by mixing concentrated solutions of fibrinogen and thrombin in presence of cross-linking agents such as Factor XIII or glutaraldehyde. The main drawbacks associated with this procedure include cost, complexity and time required for fibrin preparation. Hence, present study deals with the characterization of physiologically clotted fibrin (PF) for bone tissue engineering and drug delivery applications. For this the physico-chemical properties of PF were compared with those of the conventionally prepared fibrin (CF). Further MTT and haemolytic assays were performed for both PF and CF to compare their biocompatibility. The amount of alkaline phosphatase produced and calcium secreted by MG-63 cells in the presence of PF and CF were used to relate the osteogenic potency of PF with that of CF. Gallic acid, an anti-cancer drug was loaded within PF and CF and their role in drug delivery was compared.