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Fabrication of Maize-Based Nanoparticles at Home: A Research-Based Learning Activity. EDUCATION SCIENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/educsci12050307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Nanotechnology is an interdisciplinary field that promises to reshape many spheres of our lives. One core activity in nanotechnology is the synthesis of nanoparticles. Here, we introduce a research-based activity centered on the use of zein, the main constitutive protein in maize, as a raw material for the synthesis of nanoparticles. In the context of the contingency imposed by COVID-19, this experimental activity was designed to be independent of a central laboratory. Therefore, it was enabled by a portable heating do-it-yourself (DIY) device that the students assembled in their own home. We describe the implementation of this activity as part of a graduate-level seminar series, and share our observations. We assessed the students’ knowledge on seven topics related to nanotechnology, do-it-yourself devices, and protein synthesis. The students appeared to perceive that their degree of knowledge had advanced (on average) in all the learning topics; the students stated that their degree of knowledge in the topics of assembly of devices and protein structure had advanced the most. The results of this assessment suggest that this simple, hands-on, research-based activity effectively engaged students in a learning process that allowed them to integrate knowledge while exercising their experimental skills. In addition, we show that these types of activities are suitable for implementation even in circumstances of restricted access to laboratory facilities, such as the ones recently experienced during the pandemic.
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Tavares-Negrete JA, Aceves-Colin AE, Rivera-Flores DC, Díaz-Armas GG, Mertgen AS, Trinidad-Calderón PA, Olmos-Cordero JM, Gómez-López EG, Pérez-Carrillo E, Escobedo-Avellaneda ZJ, Tamayol A, Alvarez MM, Trujillo-de Santiago G. Three-Dimensional Printing Using a Maize Protein: Zein-Based Inks in Biomedical Applications. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2021; 7:3964-3979. [PMID: 34197076 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c00544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The use of three-dimensional (3D) printing for biomedical applications has expanded exponentially in recent years. However, the current portfolio of 3D printable inks is still limited. For instance, only few protein matrices have been explored as printing/bioprinting materials. Here, we introduce the use of zein, the primary constitutive protein in maize seeds, as a 3D printable material. Zein-based inks were prepared by dissolving commercial zein powder in ethanol with or without polyethylene glycol (PEG400) as a plasticizer. The rheological characteristics of our materials, studied during 21 days of aging/maturation, showed an increase in the apparent viscosity as a function of time in all formulations. The addition of PEG400 decreased the apparent viscosity. Inks with and without PEG400 and at different maturation times were tested for printability in a BioX bioprinter. We optimized the 3D printing parameters for each ink formulation in terms of extrusion pressure and linear printing velocity. Higher fidelity structures were obtained with inks that had maturation times of 10 to 14 days. We present different proof-of-concept experiments to demonstrate the versatility of the engineered zein inks for diverse biomedical applications. These include printing of complex and/or free-standing 3D structures, tablets for controlled drug release, and scaffolds for cell culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Alfonso Tavares-Negrete
- Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico.,Departamento de Bioingeniería, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Alberto Emanuel Aceves-Colin
- Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico.,Departamento de Ingeniería Mecatrónica y Eléctrica, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Delia Cristal Rivera-Flores
- Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico.,Departamento de Ciencias, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Gladys Guadalupe Díaz-Armas
- Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico.,Departamento de Ingeniería Mecatrónica y Eléctrica, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Anne-Sophie Mertgen
- Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico.,Departamento de Bioingeniería, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Plinio Alejandro Trinidad-Calderón
- Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico.,Departamento de Bioingeniería, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Jorge Miguel Olmos-Cordero
- Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico.,Departamento de Ingeniería Mecatrónica y Eléctrica, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Elda Graciela Gómez-López
- Departamento de Ciencias, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Esther Pérez-Carrillo
- Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico.,Departamento de Bioingeniería, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Zamantha Judith Escobedo-Avellaneda
- Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico.,Departamento de Bioingeniería, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Ali Tamayol
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030, United States
| | - Mario Moisés Alvarez
- Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico.,Departamento de Bioingeniería, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Grissel Trujillo-de Santiago
- Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico.,Departamento de Ingeniería Mecatrónica y Eléctrica, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico
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Heredia S, Costa D, Choez I, Barragan A, Quijano MF, Cárdenas W, Manzano P, Reyes C, Sosa del Castillo D, Alvarez-Barreto JF. Porous Sponges from the Mesocarp of Theobroma Cacao L. Pod Shells for Potential Biomaterial Applications. BIONATURA 2021. [DOI: 10.21931/rb/2021.06.01.14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Lignocellulosic materials have garnered significant attention in recent years to generate biomaterials, but nothing has been investigated with cacao residues of significant importance in Ecuador. This study's objective was to generate porous, three-dimensional sponges from cacao pod shell mesocarp with potential use in biomaterial application. Discs from the mesocarp of cacao pod shells were subjected to neutral, acid, and alkaline treatments, at 25oC and 100oC, followed by washing and lyophilization. Sponge composition was evaluated, with the alkaline treatment resulting in the highest cellulose content and the lowest percentage of lignin, with the removal of hemicellulose corroborated by FITR. The sponges presented high water absorption capacities, which increased with the treatment temperature; mainly, the alkaline generated structures had the largest capacity. The sponges' porosity also depended on the treatment, with the acid and alkaline treatments generating larger pores, which significantly grew with treatment temperature. Preliminary in vitro cytotoxicity tests were carried out using Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells, according to ISO 10993.5.2009, with none of the materials being cytotoxic; however, those with greater lignin contents resulted in lower cell viability. In general, it is considered that the alkaline generated sponges presented the more significant potential for biomaterial applications, which could be further tested with In vitro cell proliferation and differentiation studies and possible in vivo assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Heredia
- Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral, ESPOL. Centro de Investigaciones Biotecnologicas del Ecuador, CIBE. Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Diego Costa
- Laboratorio para Investigaciones Biomédicas, FCV, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral. Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Iván Choez
- Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral, ESPOL. Centro de Investigaciones Biotecnologicas del Ecuador, CIBE. Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Ana Barragan
- Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral, ESPOL. Centro de Investigaciones Biotecnologicas del Ecuador, CIBE. Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - María F. Quijano
- Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral, ESPOL. Centro de Investigaciones Biotecnologicas del Ecuador, CIBE. Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Washington Cárdenas
- Laboratorio para Investigaciones Biomédicas, FCV, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral. Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Patricia Manzano
- Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral, ESPOL. Centro de Investigaciones Biotecnologicas del Ecuador, CIBE. Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Carol Reyes
- Biomaterials Laboratory. Institute for the Development of Alternative Energies and Materials, IDEMA. Department of Chemical Engineering. College of Sciences and Engineering. Universidad San Francisco de Quito. Quito, Ecuador
| | - Daynet Sosa del Castillo
- Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral, ESPOL. Centro de Investigaciones Biotecnologicas del Ecuador, CIBE. Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Jose F. Alvarez-Barreto
- Biomaterials Laboratory. Institute for the Development of Alternative Energies and Materials, IDEMA. Department of Chemical Engineering. College of Sciences and Engineering. Universidad San Francisco de Quito. Quito, Ecuador
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Chakravarty P, Famili A, Nagapudi K, Al-Sayah MA. Using Supercritical Fluid Technology as a Green Alternative During the Preparation of Drug Delivery Systems. Pharmaceutics 2019; 11:E629. [PMID: 31775292 PMCID: PMC6956038 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics11120629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Micro- and nano-carrier formulations have been developed as drug delivery systems for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) that suffer from poor physico-chemical, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic properties. Encapsulating the APIs in such systems can help improve their stability by protecting them from harsh conditions such as light, oxygen, temperature, pH, enzymes, and others. Consequently, the API's dissolution rate and bioavailability are tremendously improved. Conventional techniques used in the production of these drug carrier formulations have several drawbacks, including thermal and chemical stability of the APIs, excessive use of organic solvents, high residual solvent levels, difficult particle size control and distributions, drug loading-related challenges, and time and energy consumption. This review illustrates how supercritical fluid (SCF) technologies can be superior in controlling the morphology of API particles and in the production of drug carriers due to SCF's non-toxic, inert, economical, and environmentally friendly properties. The SCF's advantages, benefits, and various preparation methods are discussed. Drug carrier formulations discussed in this review include microparticles, nanoparticles, polymeric membranes, aerogels, microporous foams, solid lipid nanoparticles, and liposomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paroma Chakravarty
- Small Molecule Pharmaceutics, Genentech, Inc. So. San Francisco, CA 94080, USA; (P.C.); (K.N.)
| | - Amin Famili
- Small Molecule Analytical Chemistry, Genentech, Inc. So. San Francisco, CA 94080, USA;
| | - Karthik Nagapudi
- Small Molecule Pharmaceutics, Genentech, Inc. So. San Francisco, CA 94080, USA; (P.C.); (K.N.)
| | - Mohammad A. Al-Sayah
- Small Molecule Analytical Chemistry, Genentech, Inc. So. San Francisco, CA 94080, USA;
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