3D Printed Chitosan Composite Scaffold for Chondrocytes Differentiation

Abstract

: 3D printing plays a crucial role in the development of controlled porous architectures of scaffolds for cartilage tissue regeneration. In the present study, different compositions of chitosan-gelatin-alginate composite scaffolds with controlled porosity and architectures were 3D printed. To obtain the desired scaffold, an in-house 3D paste extruder printer was developed, which is capable of printing porous composite chitosan hydrogel scaffolds of desired architecture layer by layer. Stereolithography (STL) files of 3D models for porous chitosan composite were created using computeraided design (CAD) and printed with a hydrogel flow rate within the range of 0.2-0.25 ml/min. The prepared composite scaffolds were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy SEM, swelling property, mechanical testing, porosity, etc. In-vitro cell culture study was observed on 3D printed chitosan, gelatin, and alginate hydrogel scaffolds. The prepared scaffolds were highly porous, having optimum porosity, optimal mechanical strength to sustain the cartilage formation. The 3D printed chitosan composite scaffolds supported the differentiation of chondrocytes. The above study is helpful for in-vivo regeneration of cartilage for patients having related cartilage disorders.

Chitosan‐based nanocomposites for medical applications

“…65,66 Among them, a simple and efficient process is lyophilisation, which starts with freezing a solution of chitosan with or without additives followed by evaporation of the solvent under reduced pressure. 67,68 At present, there are numerous techniques available to fabricate a chitosan-based membrane or scaffold for tissue engineering such as particle salt leaching, 69,70 electrospinning, 71,72 stereolithography, 73,74 gas foaming, 75,76 freeze-drying, 57,67,75 and 3D bioprinting. [77][78][79][80] Electrospinning is a simple, straightforward, and costeffective technique for producing nanofibers.…”

“…At present, there are numerous techniques available to fabricate a chitosan‐based membrane or scaffold for tissue engineering such as particle salt leaching, 69,70 electrospinning, 71,72 stereolithography, 73,74 gas foaming, 75,76 freeze‐drying, 57,67,75 and 3D bioprinting 77–80 . Electrospinning is a simple, straightforward, and cost‐effective technique for producing nanofibers.…”

Applications of Chitosan in Surgical and Post-Surgical Materials

“…This technique makes it possible to control the average pore diameterwhich varies from 1 to 250 μm-by means of freezing conditions. An alternative is the manufacturing of chitosan scaffolds by 3D printing, a technique that allows us to obtain systems with a tightly controlled shape and structure [40]. Finally, it is also possible to obtain self-assembled scaffolds.…”

Recent Advances in Three-Dimensional Stem Cell Culture Systems and Applications

“…Composite applications provide a promising method for the development of superior biomaterials [ 42 ]. The chitosan-alginate-gelatin composite hydrogel can promote the chondrogenic differentiation of hMSCs and contribute to cartilage regeneration in patients with related cartilage diseases [ 52 ]. Some researchers put hepatocyte-like cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells into the widely used animal-derived hydrogel Matrigel, which is a plant-derived nanocellulose hydrogel in agarose microporous 3D culture plates.…”