1982 Volume 39 Issue 4 Pages 249-256
The characteristics of various keratin derivatives obtained by solubilization of wool fiber as a biomaterial was examined by in vivo experiements for the foreign body reaction and the thrombogenicity. The results were: (a) Solubilized keratin derivatives showed little foreign body reaction; almost no effects of the chemical structure and conformation of keratin derivatives on the degree of foreign body reaction were observed. (b) Keratin derivatives were highly absorbable, but the absorption property depended on the higher-order-structure. (c) No thrombus was found around the sample biomaterials after implantation for 2 weeks. However, it was afterwards recognized that this characteristic was not directly related to the antithrombogenitic nature of the samples but to a consequence that the sample biomaterial was digested due to its high absorption property and endothelial-like cells newly grew in place. (d) Heparinized keratin derivatives were found to be absorbable antithrombogenitic materials.
