Swelling, Serosal Adhesion, Protein Adsorption, and Biocompatibility of Pectin–TEOS Gels

The objective of this study was to develop a pectin-tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) hybrid gel with improved functional properties and biocompatibility. The sol-gel process was used to create pectin-TEOS hydrogels containing 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, and 1.50 M TEOS, which were labeled AP-T0.75, AP-T1.00, AP-T1.25, and AP-T1.50. The pectin-TEOS hydrogel AP-T1.50 exhibited a hardness of 631 kPa, a Young's modulus of 1588 kPa, and an elasticity of 1.95 mm. The degree of swelling decreased as the TEOS content increased. The pectin-TEOS hydrogel AP-T1.25 exhibited the highest strength of adhesion to serosa of 60.6 mN. Serum protein and bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption by pectin-TEOS gels was recorded in the range of 2-43 µg/mg after 6 h of incubation at pH 5.0, 7.4, and 8.0. Pectin-TEOS gels demonstrated low rates of hemolysis and complement activation. Leukocyte adhesion on the surface of pectin-TEOS gels depends on TEOS content. Consequently, the mechanical characteristics, serosal adherence, and biocompatibility of pectin-TEOS gel position it as a strong contender for the advancement of smart biomaterials.