Abstract
Fibrin microparticles were incorporated into poly(ethylene) glycol (PEG)-fibrinogen hydrogels to create an injectable, composite that could serve as a wound healing support and vehicle to deliver therapeutic factors for tissue engineering. Nitric oxide (NO), a therapeutic agent in wound healing, was loaded into fibrin microparticles by blending S-Nitroso-N-acetyl penicillamine (SNAP) with a fibrinogen solution. The incorporation of microparticles affected swelling behavior and improved tissue adhesivity of composite hydrogels. Controlled NO release was induced via photolytic and thermal activation, and modulated by weight percent of particles incorporated. These NO-releasing composites were non-cytotoxic in culture. Cells maintained morphology, viability, and proliferative character. Fibrin microparticles loaded with SNAP and incorporated into a PEG-fibrinogen matrix, creates a novel injectable composite hydrogel that offers improved tissue adhesivity and inducible NO-release for use as a regenerative support for wound healing and tissue engineering applications.