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Optimization of Injectable Thermosensitive Scaffolds with Enhanced Mechanical Properties for Cell Therapy
Author(s) -
Ceccaldi Caroline,
Assaad Elias,
Hui Eve,
Buccionyte Medeine,
Adoungotchodo Atma,
Lerouge Sophie
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
macromolecular bioscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.924
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1616-5195
pISSN - 1616-5187
DOI - 10.1002/mabi.201600435
Subject(s) - self healing hydrogels , chitosan , swelling , cell encapsulation , chemistry , chemical engineering , ionic strength , tissue engineering , viability assay , mesenchymal stem cell , biophysics , biomedical engineering , polymer chemistry , cell , aqueous solution , biochemistry , organic chemistry , medicine , engineering , biology , microbiology and biotechnology
Strong injectable chitosan thermosensitive hydrogels can be created, without chemical modification, by combining sodium hydrogen carbonate with another weak base, namely, beta‐glycerophosphate (BGP) or phosphate buffer (PB). Here the influence of gelling agent concentration on the mechanical properties, gelation kinetics, osmolality, swelling, and compatibility for cell encapsulation, is studied in order to find the most optimal formulations and demonstrate their potential for cell therapy and tissue engineering. The new formulations present up to a 50‐fold increase of the Young's modulus after gelation compared with conventional chitosan‐BGP hydrogels, while reducing the ionic strength to the level of iso‐osmolality. Increasing PB concentration accelerates gelation but reduces the mechanical properties. Increasing BGP also has this effect, but to a lesser extent. Cells can be easily encapsulated by mixing the cell suspension within the hydrogel solution at room temperature, prior to rapid gelation at body temperature. After encapsulation, L929 mouse fibroblasts are homogeneously distributed within scaffolds and present a strongly increased viability and growth, when compared with conventional chitosan‐BGP hydrogels. Two particularly promising formulations are evaluated with human mesenchymal stem cells. Their viability and metabolic activity are maintained over 7 d in vitro.