Open Access

ARTICLE

Zein Membrane Barrier for Bone Guided Regeneration

Cristiane Michele Alves de Oliveira¹, Bruna Carolina Dorm¹, Antonio José Felix Carvalho², Deliane da Silva Cabral², Flávia Aparecida Resende Nogueira¹, Nádia Andrade Aleixo¹, Mônica Rosas Costa Iemma¹, Eliane Trovatti^1,*

1 University of Araraquara—UNIARA, Rua Carlos Gomes, 1217, São Paulo, 14801-340, Brazil
2 Department of Materials Engineering, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 13563-120, Brazil

* Corresponding Author: Eliane Trovatti. Email:

Journal of Renewable Materials 2026, 14(3), 1 https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2025.02025-0166

Received 22 August 2025; Accepted 23 October 2025; Issue published 25 March 2026

Abstract

Materials from natural sources have been studied to replace the conventional synthetic or animal-derived products as a safer alternative to be used in the healthcare field. In dentistry, guided bone regeneration (GBR) relies on barrier membranes, predominantly from animals or synthetic materials, to improve osteogenesis by avoiding undesired soft tissue cells from defect sites. In this study, membranes were prepared from zein, a corn-derived protein, using a simple extraction and casting method, followed by optional formaldehyde cross-linking to evaluate their behavior for application in GBR. The membranes were characterised by FTIR, DSC, TGA, tensile strength analysis, and in vitro biological assays. Cross-linked membranes exhibited improved mechanical strength (~5 MPa) and slower degradation (~43% mass loss over 30 days), while non-cross-linked membranes disintegrated more rapidly. Cytotoxicity assays using GM07492 fibroblasts confirmed biocompatibility, and cell migration studies demonstrated effective barrier function. These results indicated that zein membranes, particularly in their cross-linked form, combine biodegradability, mechanical integrity, and cellular safety, suggesting significant potential as sustainable GBR materials. This work introduces, for the first time, zein membranes prepared from corn crude extract for GBR in dentistry, paving the way for eco-friendly alternatives to animal-derived products.

---

Graphic Abstract

---

Keywords

---