TY  - EJOU
AU  - Oliveira, Cristiane Michele Alves de 
AU  - Dorm, Bruna Carolina 
AU  - Carvalho, Antonio José Felix 
AU  - Cabral, Deliane da Silva 
AU  - Nogueira, Flávia Aparecida Resende 
AU  - Aleixo, Nádia Andrade 
AU  - Iemma, Mônica Rosas Costa 
AU  - Trovatti, Eliane 

TI  - Zein Membrane Barrier for Bone Guided Regeneration
T2  - Journal of Renewable Materials

PY  - 2026
VL  - 14
IS  - 3
SN  - 2164-6341

AB  - 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 <i>in vitro</i> 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.
KW  - Zein; membrane; bone guided regeneration; corn

DO  - 10.32604/jrm.2025.02025-0166