Shape-preserving polymeric replication of biological matter
| DWPI Title: Replication of biological sample into synthetic material by immersing biological sample containing cell in silicic acid solution, incubating sample, exposing silica composite to polymeric precursor, and polymerizing |
| Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming silica nanolayers on or within a biological sample, thereby capturing structural details that are present in the sample. The resultant silica composite or silica replica, in turn, can be employed as a template for a replica having those structural details captured in a polymer. Also provided herein are synthetic constructs including a polymeric replica, which can have any useful feature (e.g., oxygen-binding capacity). |
| Use: The method is used for replicating a biological sample, e.g. organ, cell, red blood cell, neuron, and/or glial cell, into a synthetic material (e.g. polymeric material). |
| Advantage: The method can provide controlled formation of complex structures that can be templated from biological samples. |
| Novelty: Replication of a biological sample into a synthetic material comprises immersing a biological sample containing cell(s) in a silicic acid solution including a silicic acid compound, where the biological sample is a sample from an animal source or a sample from a mammalian source; incubating the biological sample to provide penetration of the silicic acid compound into the biological sample, thus forming silica nanolayers on and within the sample, where the silica nanolayer(s) conforms to a biological structure on and within the sample, thus forming a silica composite; exposing the silica composite to polymeric precursor(s), where the polymeric precursor(s) conforms to silica nanolayer(s); and polymerizing the polymeric precursor(s) thus forming a polymerized silica replica or a polymerized silica composite. |
| Filed: 9/30/2016 |
| Application Number: US15282511A |
| Tech ID: SD 13866.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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