Abstract
Genipin is a natural plant-derived compound that covalently cross-links biopolymers into lattice networks with good biocompatibility, controllable swelling, and mechanical properties. This protocol describes the genipin cross-linking of elastic proteins, including tropoelastin and elastin-based polypeptides, through steps of elastin phase-separation upon addition of salt and heat, centrifugation to rapidly concentrate the dense protein phase, and incubation. This method is applicable for the fabrication of elastic materials suitable for use as scaffolds for biomedical applications.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Sung HW, Huang RN, Huang LL et al (1998) Feasibility study of a natural crosslinking reagent for biological tissue fixation. J Biomed Mater Res 42:560–567
Levy RJ, Schoen FJ, Sherman FS et al (1986) Calcification of subcutaneously implanted type I collagen sponges. Effects of formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde pretreatments. Am J Pathol 122:71–82
Chang Y, Tsai CC, Liang HC et al (2002) In vivo evaluation of cellular and acellular bovine pericardia fixed with a naturally occurring crosslinking agent (genipin). Biomaterials 23:2447–2457
Huang LL, Sung HW, Tsai CC et al (1998) Biocompatibility study of a biological tissue fixed with a naturally occurring crosslinking reagent. J Biomed Mater Res 42:568–576
Fessel G, Cadby J, Wunderli S et al (2014) Dose- and time-dependent effects of genipin crosslinking on cell viability and tissue mechanics—toward clinical application for tendon repair. Acta Biomater 10:1897–1906
Chang Y, Tsai CC, Liang HC et al (2001) Reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract with a bovine jugular vein graft fixed with a naturally occurring crosslinking agent (genipin) in a canine model. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 122:1208–1218
Muiznieks LD, Keeley FW (2016) Phase separation and mechanical properties of an elastomeric biomaterial from spider wrapping silk and elastin block copolymers. Biopolymers 105:693–703
Silva SS, Maniglio D, Motta A et al (2008) Genipin-modified silk-fibroin nanometric nets. Macromol Biosci 8:766–774
Vieth S, Bellingham CM, Keeley FW et al (2007) Microstructural and tensile properties of elastin-based polypeptides crosslinked with genipin and pyrroloquinoline quinone. Biopolymers 85:199–206
Mi F-L, Shyu S-S, Peng C-K (2004) Characterization of ring-opening polymerization of genipin and ph-dependent cross-linking reactions between chitosan and genipin. J Polym Sci A Polym Chem 43:1985–2000
Butler MF, Ng Y-F, Pudney PDA (2003) Mechanism and kinetics of the crosslinking reaction between biopolymers containing primary amine groups and genipin. J Polym Sci A Polym Chem 41:3941–3953
Mekhail M, Wong KK, Padavan DT et al (2011) Genipin-cross-linked electrospun collagen fibers. J Biomater Sci Polym Ed 22:2241–2259
Martinez AW, Caves JM, Ravi S et al (2014) Effects of crosslinking on the mechanical properties, drug release and cytocompatibility of protein polymers. Acta Biomater 10:26–33
Arteche Pujana M, Perez-Alvarez L, Cesteros Iturbe LC et al (2013) Biodegradable chitosan nanogels crosslinked with genipin. Carbohydr Polym 94:836–842
Harris R, Lecumberri E, Heras A (2010) Chitosan-genipin microspheres for the controlled release of drugs: clarithromycin, tramadol and heparin. Mar Drugs 8:1750–1762
Hrabchak C, Rouleau J, Moss I et al (2010) Assessment of biocompatibility and initial evaluation of genipin cross-linked elastin-like polypeptides in the treatment of an osteochondral knee defect in rabbits. Acta Biomater 6:2108–2115
Schek RM, Michalek AJ, Iatridis JC (2011) Genipin-crosslinked fibrin hydrogels as a potential adhesive to augment intervertebral disc annulus repair. Eur Cell Mater 21:373–383
Lien SM, Ko LY, Huang TJ (2009) Effect of pore size on ECM secretion and cell growth in gelatin scaffold for articular cartilage tissue engineering. Acta Biomater 5:670–679
Silva SS, Motta A, Rodrigues MT et al (2008) Novel genipin-cross-linked chitosan/silk fibroin sponges for cartilage engineering strategies. Biomacromolecules 9:2764–2774
Miao M, Sitarz E, Bellingham CM et al (2013) Sequence and domain arrangements influence mechanical properties of elastin-like polymeric elastomers. Biopolymers 99:392–407
Muiznieks LD, Keeley FW (2017) Biomechanical design of elastic protein biomaterials: a balance of protein structure and conformational disorder. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 3:661–679
Bellingham CM, Lillie MA, Gosline JM et al (2003) Recombinant human elastin polypeptides self-assemble into biomaterials with elastin-like properties. Biopolymers 70:445–455
Bellingham CM, Woodhouse KA, Robson P et al (2001) Self-aggregation characteristics of recombinantly expressed human elastin polypeptides. Biochim Biophys Acta 1550:6–19
Vrhovski B, Jensen S, Weiss AS (1997) Coacervation characteristics of recombinant human tropoelastin. Eur J Biochem 250:92–98
Reichheld SE, Muiznieks LD, Stahl R et al (2014) Conformational transitions of the cross-linking domains of elastin during self-assembly. J Biol Chem 289:10057–10068
Reichheld SE, Muiznieks LD, Keeley FW et al (2017) Direct observation of structure and dynamics during phase separation of an elastomeric protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 114:E4408–E4415
Acknowledgments
The author thanks Fred Keeley and Sean Reichheld for useful discussions.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature
About this protocol
Cite this protocol
Muiznieks, L.D. (2018). Genipin Cross-Linking of Elastin and Elastin-Based Proteins. In: Udit, A. (eds) Protein Scaffolds. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1798. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7893-9_17
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7893-9_17
Published:
Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-7892-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-7893-9
eBook Packages: Springer Protocols