The field of biomedical engineering has vastly expanded in the past two decades, as reflected in the increased number of bioengineering and biomaterials programs at universities. The growth of this area has outpaced the development of laboratory courses that allow students hands-on experience, since the barriers involved in creating multidisciplinary biomaterials laboratory courses are high. A Laboratory Course in Biomaterials provides a teaching tool comprehensive in scope perspective.
Multidisciplinary approach
Suitable for junior or senior level laboratory courses in biomaterials and bioengineering, this volume trains students in laboratory skills, data analysis, problem solving, and scientific writing. The text takes a multidisciplinary approach, integrating a variety of principles that include materials science, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular and cell biology, and engineering.
Step-by-step instructions
The author presents flexible modules that allow the coursework to be adapted to the needs of different departments. Each module is organized around a central theme, such as drug delivery and natural biomaterials, to enhance student comprehension. This book provides step-by-step descriptions of lab procedures, reagents, equipment, and data processing guidelines. It also includes a series of thought-provoking questions and answers following each experiment, drawn from the author’s own experience in teaching a biomaterials laboratory course at the University of Illinois.
Timely in its coverage, many of the experiments presented in the book are adapted from research papers reflecting the progress in various disciplines of bioengineering and biomaterials science.
Basic Laboratory Skills
Commonly Used Lab Equipment and Supplies
Waste Disposal
Liquid Transfer
Weighing
Making Solutions
Error Analysis
Module I. Drug Delivery: Controlled Release of Encapsulated Protein from PLGA Microspheres
Session 1. Encapsulation of BSA in PLGA Microspheres
Session 2. Evaluation of the Encapsulation Efficiency and the Drug Load
Session 3. Controlled Release of BSA from PLGA Microspheres
Session 4. Evaluation of Controlled Release Profile
Questions
Appendix. Recipes and Sources for Equipment, Reagents, and Supplies
Module II. Natural Biomaterials: Collagen and Chitosan
Session 1. Extracting Acid-Soluble Type I Collagen from Bovine Calf Skin
Session 2. Purification of Extracted Collagen
Session 3. Analysis of Collagen Extraction and Purification by Electrophoresis
Session 4. Fabricating Collagen/Chitosan Sponges
Questions
Appendix. Recipes and Sources for Equipment, Reagents and Supplies
Basic Laboratory Skills II. Cell Culture and Microscopy
Cell Culture
Exercises
Appendix. Sources and Recipes for Equipment, Reagents, and Supplies
Module III. Biocompatibility Testing: Cytotoxicity and Adhesion
Session 1. Cytotoxicity Evaluation Using Direct Contact Tests
Session 2. Cytotoxicity Evaluation Using Liquid Extracts of Materials
Session 3. Biofunctionality Evaluation through Cell Adhesion/Proliferation Tests
Questions
Appendix. Recipes and Sources for Equipment, Reagents and Supplies
Module IV. Tissue Engineering: Organotypic Cultures of Skin Equivalents
Session 1. The Dermis Equivalent
Session 2. The Epidermis Equivalent
Session 3. Histological Studies of Natural Skin and Organotypic Skin Equivalent
Questions
Appendix A. Sterilizing Collagen and Preparing Collagen Solution
Appendix B. Custom-Made Teflon Support for Air Exposure of the Epidermis Equivalent
Appendix C. Recipes and Sources for Equipment, Reagents and Supplies
Module V. Bioceramics: Porous Hydroxyapatite Composite
Session 1. Synthesis of HA and FA
Session 2. X-Ray Powder Diffraction of HA and FA
Session 3. Fabrication of Porous HA/FA-PLGA Composite Using a Salt-Leaching Method
Session 4. Characterization of the Porous HA/FA-PLGA Composites—Acid Degradation and Compression Testing
Questions
Appendix. Recipes and Sources for Equipment, Reagents and Supplies
Appendix: Answers
Index
Biography
Wujing Xian is a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
