Hemocompatible gelatin-glycidyl methacrylate/graphene oxide composite hydrogels for vascular catheter applications

The development of biocompatible and hemocompatible materials is crucial for various biomedical applications. In this study, gelatin (Gel) was modified using glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) to create a photo-curable macromer (Gel-GMA), facilitating subsequent crosslinking via UV radiation. Additionally, a composite was prepared by incorporating graphene oxide (GO) into the modified gelatin matrix (Gel-GMA/GO). Structural and morphological analyses revealed macroporous or interconnected structures in the hydrogels and composites, resulting in high swelling capacities (> 1050%). Hemolysis testing demonstrated minimal hemolytic activity for both Gel-GMA and Gel-GMA/GO hydrogels, confirming their excellent hemocompatibility (0.54 and 0.50% respectively). Prothrombin time (PT) tests indicated negligible differences compared to normal blood, suggesting low thrombogenicity. The incorporation of GO reduced the PT to 12.9s. Furthermore, in vitro degradation studies under simulated blood conditions revealed moderate degradation rates) for Gel-GMA and Gel-GMA/GO hydrogels (37 and 18%, respectively) after 30 days. Viability assays on MRC-5 cells exposed to composite extracts up to 500 µg/ml showed consistent cell viability (more than 91.7%), with a slight reduction at higher concentrations. These findings underscore the potential of the hydrogels for applications such as vascular catheters, highlighting their biocompatibility, hemocompatibility, and controlled degradability.