Fibers Obtained from Alginate, Chitosan and Hybrid Used in the Development of Scaffolds

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to develop scaffolds based on alginate, chitosan and hybrid fibers with and without glycerol. The scaffolds developed underwent assessments for tensile property, swelling ratio and weight loss, cellular viability, degradation and biomineralization, as well as DSC/TGA thermal analysis. Tenacity values showed that use of glycerol and the interaction between alginate and chitosan as a hybrid fiber were associated with increasing tenacity values. In the swelling and weight loss study, the scaffolds containing glycerol presented lower weight loss and higher water absorption values in all scaffolds, compared to scaffolds without glycerol, indicating that glycerol acted as a stabilizer. None of the alginate, chitosan and hybrid scaffolds, with or without glycerol, decreased cell viability. On the third day of the biomineralization assay, chitosan without glycerol indicated the presence of apatite crystals. The degradation study showed that glycerol may have acted as a stabilizer.

Keywords

• Alginate
• chitosan
• fiber
• scaffolds
• tissue engineering