Cell response to PLA scaffolds functionalized with various seaweed polysaccharides

Abstract

The porous polylactic acid matrix has been particularly developed as a scaffold in tissue engineering, drug loading, and wound dressing. However, the loading of active chemical compounds is challenging due to its highly hydrophobic nature and lack of functional groups for chemical bonding. Plasma treatment is a fast, heat and chemical-free solution to increase its hydrophilicity by oxidative functional groups and physical etching. In this study, a highly porous PLA scaffold was obtained by polyethylene glycol pore formation agent and treated by radiofrequency (RF) air plasma. Fucoidan from Fucus vesiculosus, Macrocystis pyrifera, and Undaria pinnatifida were used to immobilize onto the activated porous PLA surface for use as medicated wound dressings. The chemical composition and morphology were investigated by FTIR, SEM-EDS analysis, and cytocompatibility assay was studied mouse embryonic fibroblast cells (NIH/3T3).

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Polylactic acid
• fucoidan
• PLA scaffold
• fibroblast cell
• plasma treatment

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic [Program NPU I, LO1504] and Czech Science Foundation [Grant no. 19-16861S].