Tri-layered chitosan scaffold as a potential skin substitute.
- Resource Type
- Article
- Authors
- Lin, Hsin-Yi; Chen, Shin-Hung; Chang, Shih-Hsin; Huang, Sheng-Tung
- Source
- Journal of Biomaterials Science -- Polymer Edition. 2015, Vol. 26 Issue 13, p855-867. 13p. 2 Color Photographs, 1 Black and White Photograph, 1 Chart, 3 Graphs.
- Subject
- *SKIN physiology
*CHITOSAN
*TISSUE scaffolds
*FIBROBLASTS
*KERATINOCYTES
*CELL culture
- Language
- ISSN
- 0920-5063
A tri-layered chitosan-based scaffold was successfully made to replicate the striation of a full-thickness skin more accurately than a single- or bi-layered scaffold, which needed weeks of co-culturing of fibroblasts and keratinocytes to achieve similar striation. Chitosan solution was freeze-dried and made into porous disks. Chitosan or chitosan-pectin in acetic acid solution was electrospun onto the chitosan disk to form a nanofibrous layer and a thin film. Examinations based on scanning electron spectroscopy showed that the scaffold was composed of a porous layer (2 mm) to simulate the dermis, a thin film (25-45 µm) to mimic the basement membrane, and a layer of nanofibers (100-200 µm) to serve as the protective epidermis. The tensile strength and modulus of the composite scaffold were significantly higher than those of the chitosan disk (p < 0.01). The composite was able to quickly absorb water and stayed intact throughout the course of the 14-day cell culture tests. The fibroblast cells seeded on both sides of the scaffolds were able to proliferate and stayed separated by the thin film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]