Porous keratin construct and method of making the same
The invention relates to a porous keratin construct material comprising keratin protein for use in wound healing applications. The porous keratin construct is capable of bio-absorbing into a wound to promote wound healing. The rate at which the construct bio-absorbs into the wound may be controlled altered by controlling the degree of disulfide cross-linking between the keratin proteins in the porous keratin construct. The invention is also related to a method of making the porous keratin construct.
1. A compressed porous keratin foam having a water activity of less than 0.6 comprising keratin protein, wherein the foam is constructed of disulfide cross-linked soluble keratin proteins, and further wherein the degree of cross-linking is effective to inhibit solubility of the foam such that from about 93% to about 97% of the foam is absorbed when placed in a solution of 0.5 mg/ml trypsin for a period of 5 to 8 days.
2. The compressed porous keratin foam as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the keratin protein is a keratin protein fraction.
3. The compressed porous keratin foam as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the keratin protein is intact.
4. The compressed porous keratin foam as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the keratin protein is intact.
5. The compressed porous keratin foam as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the keratin protein fraction is selected from the group consisting of intermediate filament protein, high sulfur protein and high glycine-tyrosine protein.
6. The compressed porous keratin foam as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the intact keratin protein is S-sulfonated keratin protein.
7. The compressed porous keratin foam as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the degree of cross-linking is from 5 to 75%.
8. The compressed porous keratin foam as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the degree of cross-linking is from 10 to 15%.
9. The compressed porous keratin foam as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the degree of cross-linking is about 12%.
10. The compressed porous keratin foam as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the porous keratin construct is from 0.05 mm to 100 mm.
11. The compressed porous keratin foam as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the porous keratin construct is 1.5 mm.