Human blood plasma catalyses the degradation of Lycopodium plant sporoderm microcapsules

Teng-Fei Fan; Michael G Potroz; Ee-Lin Tan; Jae H Park; Eijiro Miyako; Nam-Joon Cho

doi:10.1038/s41598-019-39858-z

Human blood plasma catalyses the degradation of Lycopodium plant sporoderm microcapsules

Sci Rep. 2019 Feb 27;9(1):2944. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-39858-z.

Authors

Teng-Fei Fan¹, Michael G Potroz¹, Ee-Lin Tan¹, Jae H Park¹, Eijiro Miyako², Nam-Joon Cho³

Affiliations

¹ School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore, Singapore.
² Department of Materials and Chemistry, Nanomaterials Research Institute (NMRI), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 5, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8565, Japan. e-miyako@aist.go.jp.
³ School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore, Singapore. namjoon.cho@gmail.com.

Abstract

Plant sporoderm are among the most robust biomaterials in nature. We investigate the erosion of Lycopodium sporoderm microcapsules (SDMCs) triggered by human blood plasma. Dynamic image particle analysis (DIPA), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy demonstrate the degradation events, suggesting bulk erosion as the dominant mechanism for SDMCs fragmentation in human blood. These results should prove valuable in discerning the behaviour of SDMCs in potential biological applications.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Absorbable Implants*
Biocompatible Materials / chemistry*
Capsules / chemistry*
Humans
Lycopodium / chemistry*
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Plasma / chemistry*
Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared

Substances

Biocompatible Materials
Capsules