Compositions including gelatin nanoparticles and methods of use thereof
Described herein are gelatin nanoparticles including their use in a composition. The composition may comprise a plurality of gelatin nanoparticles, at least one polymer, and water. In some embodiments, the composition comprises cells. The composition may be in the form of a hydrogel. Methods of using such gelatin nanoparticles and/or compositions are also described.
1. A composition comprising:
gelatin nanoparticles having, on average, a diameter of about 150 nm to about 500 nm, wherein the gelatin nanoparticles are present in the composition in an amount of about 10 mg/mL to about 250 mg/mL;
at least one polymer comprising thiolated hyaluronic acid and methacrylated collagen; and
water,
wherein the gelatin nanoparticles are glutaraldehyde crosslinked gelatin nanoparticles that are suspended in the composition,
wherein the composition is thixotropic, and
wherein the composition is extrudable through a 22 Gauge needle at room temperature and/or pressure.
2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the gelatin nanoparticles in the composition are in aggregates and the aggregates have, on average, a diameter of about 2 μm to about 8 μm.
3. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising gelatin, that is not in the form of nanoparticles, in an amount of about 1 mg/mL to about 75 mg/mL.
4. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising a thermal initiator or photoinitiator.
5. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising live cells.
6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has a pH of about 6.5 to about 5.
7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a hydrogel.
8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is self-supporting.
9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is liquid upon extrusion and after extrusion is solid.
10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has an elastic modulus after extrusion and/or bioprinting that varies by less than about 20% compared to an elastic modulus of the composition prior to extrusion and/or bioprinting.
11. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition, prior to and/or after deposition and/or subsequent optional crosslinking, has an elastic modulus from about 50 Pa to about 20,000 Pa.
12. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition can be extruded with an applied mechanical stress in a range from about 1 kPa to about 80 kPa.
13. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has an elastic modulus G′ and a loss modulus G″ that are within ±20% or 10% of each other.
14. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has a stiffness of from about 0.05 kPa to 1 about 25 kiloPascal at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.
15. A method of making a three-dimensional construct, the method comprising:
depositing the composition of claim 1 on to a substrate, thereby forming the three-dimensional construct.