Fabrication of Double-layered Tissue Scaffolds with Collagen/Gelatin/Honey Blends and Its Characterization

Abstract

In this project, a porous tissue scaffold composed of collagen/gelatin, which are natural, biocompatible, and biodegradable polymers, was fabricated by lyophilization, then a nanofibrous gelatin/polyethylene oxide (PEO)/honey blend was accumulated onto this layer via the electro-spinning process. The tissue scaffold was cross-linked by treating with glutaraldehyde vapor followed by EDC/NHS reagents. For the characterization, Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), pore size distribution analysis, and aqueous degradation tests were performed. While the lyophilized layer was fabricated by 1:1 (w/w) collagen/gelatin mixture, the top layer was electro-spun onto this layer by selecting the most appropriate blend ratio (2:2:2 w/w, %6 w/v total material). The lyophilized scaffold layer had a wide pore size distribution in the 5−200 µm range. After the cross-linking, pore size distribution became more homogenous (concentrating around 30−40 µm). According to SEM analysis, a uniform fiber size distribution (Dave = 423 ± 85 nm) was obtained and after the cross-linking and rinsing processes a slight fiber fusion occurred. Regarding the TGA and degradation results, the scaffold robustness increased after the cross-linking. Overall, the developed tissue scaffold with its stable, porous and fibrous form could be a suitable candidate for different tissue engineering applications.