Preparation and in vitro Evaluation of Injectable Alginate/Thiolated Chitosan Hydrogel Scaffold for Neural Tissue Engineering

Spinal cord injuries are one of the main causes of disability with devastating neurological consequences and secondary conflicts in other organs. Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine have been recognized as novel, promising methods in the treatment of tissue injuries, especially in neurological damage in recent decades. Hydrogels have the advantage of compatibility with damaged tissue, and injectable hydrogels can be applied in minimally invasive surgeries. This study aimed to evaluate an injectable hydrogel-based scaffold consisting of thiolated chitosan and alginate for neural tissue regeneration.

In the present study, an injectable hydrogel-based containing thiolated chitosan and alginate was prepared. Microbiology and pH tests were performed. Microstructural properties and porosity of scaffold were evaluated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The swelling /shrinkage ratio and rates of biodegradation were also conducted. Finally, the viability of L929 cells on the scaffold was assessed using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay.

Thiolated chitosan/ alginate hydrogel had low pH with no contamination. SEM showed hydrogel had a porous microstructure with a mean pore diameter of 21.89 ± 0.32 μm which is suitable for cell culture. Furthermore, according to MTT test results, this hydrogel was biocompatible.

Thiolated chitosan/ alginate hydrogel is convenient for application in neural tissue engineering based on its structural properties and its ability to support cell proliferation. According to the in vitro analysis, it can also be used as a scaffold to create a suitable environment for increasing cell viability.