Curvas termogravimétricas com diferentes razões de aquecimento foram utilizadas para a determinação de parâmetros cinéticos seguindo o método de Flynn-Wall. Para isso, foi utilizado um hidrogel preparado a partir da mistura de dois polissacarídeos, quitosana/xantana (QX) e outro, contendo além destes, colágeno (QXC). Os resultados mostraram que o valor de energia de ativação para o hidrogel QX foi de 3,44 kJ.mol-1, enquanto que para o QXC foi de 14,84 kJ.mol-1, sugerindo que a água presente no hidrogel contendo colágeno está mais fortemente ligada aos biopolímeros. Isto pode ter ocorrido devido à presença de grupos carboxílicos na estrutura colagênica.

Polyelectrolyte hydrogels formed by chitosan/xanthan (QX) and chitosan/xanthan/collagen (QXC) were prepared and thermogravimetric curves at different heating rates were obtained, with the aim of determining kinetic parameters using the Flynn-Wall method. The calculated activation energy was 3.44 kJ.mol-1 (QX ) and 14.84 kJ.mol-1 (QXC), suggesting stronger interactions in QXC hydrogel structure than in the QX hydrogel, probably due to the presence of carboxyl groups of collagen molecules.

In this work, the modifications promoted by alkaline hydrolysis and glutaraldehyde (GA) crosslinking on type I collagen found in porcine skin have been studied. Collagen matrices were obtained from the alkaline hydrolysis of porcine skin, with subsequent GA crosslinking in different concentrations and reaction times. The elastin content determination showed that independent of the treatment, elastin was present in the matrices. Results obtained from in vitro trypsin degradation indicated that with the increase of GA concentration and reaction time, the degradation rate decreased. From thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry analysis it can be observed that the collagen in the matrices becomes more resistant to thermal degradation as a consequence of the increasing crosslink degree. Scanning electron microscopy analysis indicated that after the GA crosslinking, collagen fibers become more organized and well-defined. Therefore, the preparations of porcine skin matrices with different degradation rates, which can be used in soft tissue reconstruction, are viable.

A engenharia de tecidos tem sido utilizada como alternativa na reconstrução de tecidos duros e moles. Este estudo teve como objetivo a calcificação "in vitro" de pele porcina visando à obtenção de um material para regeneração de tecido duro. As matrizes de pele porcina foram calcificadas em cela dupla termostatizada a 37 °C em pH 7,4 e pH 9,0 e caracterizadas por microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), termogravimetria (TGA), espectroscopia no infravermelho (FTIR), calorimetria exploratória diferencial (DSC) e difração de raios X. Os resultados obtidos por DSC mostraram que as amostras calcificadas têm um pequeno aumento nos valores de temperatura de desnaturação em relação à amostra não calcificada, enquanto as curvas termogravimétricas mostraram uma porcentagem maior de material inorgânico para o pH 7,4 em comparação com as amostras obtidas em pH 9,0. A formação de sais de fosfato de cálcio nas fibras de colágeno foi confirmada por difração de raios X (DRX), espectroscopia no infravermelho (FTIR) e microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV).

Tissue engineering has been used as an alternative in the reconstruction of hard and soft tissues. The objective of this work was to study the in vitro calcification of porcine skin aiming at obtaining a material to be used for regeneration of hard tissue. Pig skin was calcified at 37 °C, pH 7.4 and pH 9.0 and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X ray diffraction (XRD). The results obtained by DSC showed that calcified samples had a small increase in the values of denaturation temperature when compared with uncalcified samples. Thermogravimetric curves showed higher quantity of inorganic material for the pH 7.4 matrix when compared to samples obtained in pH 9.0. The formation of calcium phosphate salts on collagen fibers was seen by SEM, which was also confirmed by X ray diffratogram and FTIR.