Processs for cross-linking collagenous material
AssigneeThe University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
InventorGerald L. Mechanic
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a process for cross-linking a proteinaceous material. The process comprises: i) soaking the material to be cross-linked in an agueous solution of high osmolality; ii) incubating the material in an agueous buffer including an amount of a photooxidative catalyst sufficient to catalyze photooxidation of the material; and iii) irradiating the material and the catalyst of step (i) with light that includes a range of wavelengths selectively absorbed by the catalyst. Irradiation is effected under conditions such that cross-linking of the material occurs. In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to a cross-linked product produced by the above-described method.
Claims8
A process for preparing a cross-linked product suitable for use as a biomaterial which is digestion resistant comprising contacting naturally occurring collagen fibrils with a photoxidative catalyst in an aqueous medium and thereafter oxidizing the collagen fibrils to form cross-linkages therebetween in the presence of oxygen by exposing the collagen fibrils to light while holding temperature and pH at levels sufficient to maintain a desired oxygen concentration in the aqueous medium.
The process of claim of 1 wherein the collagen fibrils are immersed in an aqueous buffer solution before being contacted with the dye in the aqueous media solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.