Abstract
Novel gelatin/sodium alginate (SA) porous scaffolds containing hyaluronic acid (HYA) were fabricated via freeze-drying technique and their in-vitro biocompatibility was investigated. It was demonstrated that the gelatin/ SA/HYA composite scaffolds had highly homogeneous and interconnected pores with average pore size ranging from 50 to 400 μm. The extracts of gelatin/SA/HYA with various contents of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) showed no toxicity due to easy removal of excess EDC. Fibroblastic cells attached to the culture plate and showed normal morphology when cultured in the extract of gelatin/SA/HYA hydrogel. The introduction of HYA into the gelatin/SA matrix facilitated the adhesion of fibroblasts in the gelatin/SA/HYA scaffolds. The haemolytic test indicated that the gelatin/SA/HYA composite hydrogel showed no haemolysis. Therefore, the gelatin/SA/HYA composite scaffolds would be suitable for cell adhesion and growth and could offer new and important options for tissue engineering applications.