Development of a Novel Polygalacturonic Acid-Gelatin Blend Scaffold Fabrication and Biocompatibility Studies for Tissue-Engineering Applications

In this study, we report the enhanced osteoblast differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) on a novel polygalacturonic acid (PGA)/ gelatin scaffold. The matrices of various PGA/geletin ratios were fabricated, biophysically characterized, and optimized for cell culture applications. Blended 2% PGA/gelatin scaffolds were highly porous and were robust with enhanced mechanical strength. Swelling studies showed they had high swelling capacity (six-fold higher than only gelatin scaffold) along with complete degradation in the presence of phosphate-buffered saline. Cytocompatibility of the matrices was evaluated using mouse fibroblast 3T3-L1 cell line showing normal spreading and proliferation as assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and MTT assay. Among different blends of PGA/gelatin, 2% PGA/gelatin (2PG) scaffold showed the optimum physical and biological compatibility for use in cell culture and differentiation of mESC, especially for osteoblast differentiation. The scaffold, as reported in this study, presents a promising tool for tissue engineering applications.