Porous body formed of sericin

• US 7,763,448 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2005
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiren Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Seiren Company Limited
• Inventors: Kato, Yoichi, Tsujimoto, Kazuhisa, Yamada, Hideyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Naff; David M
• Application Number:
  US10/593,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20070197701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,958 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 435/177
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/227 Other specific proteins or polypeptides not covered by A61L27/222, A61L27/225 or A61L27/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/56 Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 530/812 Peptides or proteins is immobilized on, or in, an organic carrier

Abstract

The present invention provides a porous body high in safety against environment and living bodies and having a strength high enough to withstand practical use, said porous body comprising, as a skeleton constituent thereof, sericin with an average molecular weight of 30000 to 400000, and having a recovery rate of 10 to 100% after 50% compression.

Claims

1. A porous body having a recovery rate of 10 to 100% after 50% compression consisting of a porous skeleton formed of a material consisting of sericin having an average molecular weight of 30000 to 400000.

2. The porous body of claim 1 having an average pore diameter of 0.1 to 5000 μ

m.

3. The porous body of claim 1 having a porosity of 70 to 99%.

4. The porous body of claim 2 having a porosity of 70 to 99%.

5. The porous body of claim 1 wherein said skeleton is obtained by gelling an aqueous solution of a material consisting of sericin with an average molecular weight of 30,000 to 400,000, thereafter freezing the resulting gel and then allowing the frozen gel to thaw to obtain said porous body.

6. A porous body having a recovery rate of 10% to 100% after 50% compression consisting of:

a porous skeleton formed of a material consisting of sericin having an average molecular weight of 30000 to 400000, and,

a functional substance immobilized in the skeleton.

7. The porous body of claim 6 wherein the functional substance is a living body-derived substance.

8. A porous body obtained by gelling an aqueous solution containing sericin with an average molecular weight of 30,000 to 400,000, thereafter freezing the resulting gel and then allowing the frozen gel to thaw, wherein said porous body has a recovery rate of 10% to 100% after 50% compression.