title: Cross-linking of gelatin and chitosan complex nanofibers for tissue-engineering scaffolds.
abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate cross-linked gelatin-chitosan nanofibers produced by means of electrospinning. Gelatin and chitosan nanofibers were electrospun and then cross-linked by glutaraldehyde (GTA) vapor at room temperature. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the cross-linked mats could keep their nanofibrous structure after being soaked in deionized water at 37° C. The cross-linking mechanism was discussed based on FT-IR results. The two main mechanisms of cross-linking for chitosan and gelatin-chitosan complex are Schiff base reaction and acetalization reaction. For gelatin, the mechanism of cross-linking was Schiff base reaction. The mechanical properties of nanofibrous mats were improved after cross-linking. The biocompatibility of electrospun nanofibrous mats after cross-linking was investigated by the viability of porcine iliac endothelial cells (PIECs). The morphologies of PIECs on the cross-linked nanofibrous mats were observed by SEM. In addition, proliferation of PIECs was tested with the method of methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay. The results indicate that gelatin-chitosan nanofibrous mats could be a promising candidate for tissue-engineering scaffolds.
authors.affiliation: College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, P R China.
authors.forename: Yong-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Kui-Hua
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Qin-Fei
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.forename: Xiu-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Mo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D005780:Gelatin / Q000737:chemistry*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013552:Swine; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005780:Gelatin; D048271:Chitosan