Preparation and characterization of collagen (Ι)-based magnetic nanocomposite hydrogels as a scaffold for tissue engineering

Abstract

Introduction: Tissue engineering is an interdisciplinary field of study that focuses on the development of essential tissues and organs in the body. Tissue engineering attempts to repair damaged and diseased tissues and organs by constructing combinations of biomaterials, cells, and bioactive molecules. Objective: Collagen nanoscomposite scaffolds were prepared and characterized as scaffolds in tissue engineering. Materials and methods: To investigate the effect of two variables, the percentage of hyaluronic acid and glutaraldehyde on the swelling rate and degradability of the gelatin scaffold, the optimal percentages were determined. After the preparation of collagen scaffolds and their nanocomposites, the scaffolds were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, SEM, swelling rate, degradation rate, mechanical properties, and cytotoxicity. Finally, molecular docking simulation has been used to investigate the possible interactions between collagen and hyaluronic acid.Result: The prepared gelatin framework containing optimum amounts showed the highest swelling rates and had the lowest biodegradability in days 7 and 14. The SEM images of collagen and nanocomposite scaffolds showed that the addition of magnetic nanoparticles to their structure causes an increase in the protrusion and roughness on the surface of the prepared scaffold. Increasing the hyaluronic acid and magnetic nanoparticles content increased tensile strength and Young's modulus. Increasing the amount of hyaluronic acid increases the rate of swelling, as well as reducing the degree of degradation. The addition of magnetic iron nanoparticles to the structure of the scaffolds reduces the degradability. Conclusion: According to the results, it can be concluded that the alteration of various factors during the scaffold preparation, such as the ratio of hyaluronic acid and glutaraldehyde, lead to change and improvement of various properties including swelling rate, biodegradability, mechanical strength, morphology, and biocompatibility of polymeric scaffolds and the obtained nanocomposites.