Aging populations in developed countries will increase the demand for implantable materials to support tissue regeneration. Whey Protein Isolate (WPI), derived from dairy industry by-products, can be processed into hydrogels with the following desirable properties for applications in tissue engineering: (i) ability to support adhesion and growth of cells; (ii) ease of sterilization by autoclaving and (iii) ease of incorporation of poorly water-soluble drugs with antimicrobial activity, such as phloroglucinol (PG), the fundamental phenolic subunit of marine polyphenols.

In this study, WPI hydrogels were enriched with PG at concentrations between 0 and 20% w/v. PG solubilization in WPI hydrogels is far higher than in water. Enrichment with PG did not adversely affect mechanical properties, and endowed antimicrobial activity against a range of bacteria which occur in healthcare-associated infections (HAI). WPI-PG hydrogels supported the growth of, and collagen production by human dental pulp stem cells and - to a lesser extent - of osteosarcoma-derived MG-63 cells. In summary, enrichment of WPI with PG may be a promising strategy to prevent microbial contamination while still promoting stem cell attachment and growth.

发达国家人口老龄化将增加对支持组织再生的可植入材料的需求。乳清分离蛋白 (WPI) 来源于乳制品工业副产品，可加工成具有以下理想特性的水凝胶，用于组织工程应用：(i) 支持细胞粘附和生长的能力；(ii) 易于高压灭菌和 (iii) 易于掺入具有抗菌活性的水溶性差的药物，例如间苯三酚 (PG)，海洋多酚的基本酚亚基。

在这项研究中，WPI 水凝胶富含 PG，浓度介于 0 和 20% w / v 之间。PG 在 WPI 水凝胶中的溶解度远高于在水中。PG 的富集不会对机械性能产生不利影响，并赋予对发生在医疗保健相关感染 (HAI) 中的一系列细菌的抗菌活性。WPI-PG 水凝胶支持人牙髓干细胞和骨肉瘤衍生的 MG-63 细胞的生长和胶原蛋白的产生。总之，用PG富集WPI可能是防止微生物污染同时仍促进干细胞附着和生长的有前途的策略。