Periodic mesoporous organosilicas (PMOs) are a class of functional organic–inorganic hybrid silica particles on the nanometer-scale. The organic groups of the PMOs are implemented directly and homogeneously during the generation of the network which allows efficient and reproducible functionalization during and after its preparation.
Nermin Seda Kehr, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany, and colleagues present the preparation of new nanocomposite (NC) alginate hydrogels with bioactive molecule functionalized and fluorescence-dye-loaded periodic mesoporous organosilicas (PMOs). These PMO-alginate hydrogels show enhanced mechanical and biological properties compared to simple alginate hydrogel itself.
The affinity of live cells, namely HeLa and endothelial cells, was up to four times higher using bioactive tripeptide Arg-Gly-Asp
(RGD) functionalized PMO-alginate hydrogels than with simple alginate hydrogel. This is caused by the nanometer-scale particle itself and its bioactive functionalization.
Fluorescent dye molecules (DXP and Hoechst 33342) inserted inside the pores of the PMOs allowed on one hand to determine the position of the DXPPMO in the polymeric network with fluorescence microscopy, and on the other to demonstrate the use of PMO as nanocontainer to stain cells by release of Hoechst 33342.
In the future, applications of such NC hydrogels generated by the contribution of functionalized PMOs may be used in fileds like tissue engineering, drug delivery, and catalysis.
- Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica-Based Nanocomposite Hydrogels as Three-Dimensional Scaffolds,
Nermin Seda Kehr, Eko Adi Prasetyanto, Kathrin Benson, Bahar Ergün, Anzhela Galstyan, Hans-Joachim Galla,
Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2012.
DOI: 10.1002/anie.201206951
