3D printed gelatin-alginate bioactive scaffolds combined with mice bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells: a biocompatibility study

Objective: This study was aimed to determine the biocompatibility of gelatin-alginate scaffolds with 3D bio-printer and the mice bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), and the histocompatibility during skin wound healing. Methods: BMSCs was separated and cultured using pan-marrow attachment method and the third generation combined with gelatin-alginate was added to the 3D printer for the preparation of bioactive scaffolds that concluded the BMSCs. Then the following characteristics of BMSCs, including survival, adhesion, aggregation and growth, were observed under inverted microscope and electron microscope. We created the full-thickness skin wound model on the mouse back and observed the wound surface’s fusion situation and the corresponding histopathological changes after putting the bioactive scaffolds on the surface. Results: It was found that BMSCs was dispersing on the scaffolds’ surface evenly and singly, and gradually growing into the inside of the bracket, whose morphology was closed to the performance in culture medium. The scaffold was attached completely on the wound surface and integrated with issues in a week. And the inflammatory cells seeped into the scaffold and promoted the growth of granulation tissue. Conclusion: Overall, the results suggest that the 3D-printed bioactive scaffold carrying the BMSCs has good biocompatibility and is safe for skin tissue engineering without rejection and biotoxicity.