A major challenge in tissue engineering is the formation of vasculature in tissue and organs. Recent studies have shown that positively charged microspheres promote vascularization, while also supporting the controlled release of bioactive molecules. This study investigated the development of gelatin-coated pectin microspheres for incorporation into a novel bioink. Electrospray was used to produce the microspheres. The process was optimized using Design-Expert® software. Microspheres underwent gelatin coating and EDC catalysis modifications. The results showed that the concentration of pectin solution impacted roundness and uniformity primarily, while flow rate affected size most significantly. The optimal gelatin concentration for microsphere coating was determined to be 0.75%, and gelatin coating led to a positively charged surface. When incorporated into bioink, the microspheres did not significantly alter viscosity, and they distributed evenly in bioink. These microspheres show great promise for incorporation into bioink for tissue engineering applications.
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Development of Gelatin-Coated Hydrogel Microspheres for Novel Bioink Design: A Crosslinker Study
The development of vascularized tissue is a substantial challenge within the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Studies have shown that positively-charged microspheres exhibit dual-functions: (1) facilitation of vascularization and (2) controlled release of bioactive compounds. In this study, gelatin-coated microspheres were produced and processed with either EDC or transglutaminase, two crosslinkers. The results indicated that the processing stages did not significantly impact the size of the microspheres. EDC and transglutaminase had different effects on surface morphology and microsphere stability in a simulated colonic environment. Incorporation of EGM and TGM into bioink did not negatively impact bioprintability (as indicated by density and kinematic viscosity), and the microspheres had a uniform distribution within the scaffold. These microspheres show great potential for tissue engineering applications.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2045738
- PAR ID:
- 10494463
- Editor(s):
- Guy Van der Mooter
- Publisher / Repository:
- Pharmaceutics
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Pharmaceutics
- Volume:
- 15
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 1999-4923
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 90
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- pectin hydrogel electrospray gelatin microspheres bioink vascularization
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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