title: Tri-layered chitosan scaffold as a potential skin substitute.
abstract: A tri-layered chitosan-based scaffold was successfully made to replicate the striation of a full-thickness skin more accurately than a single- or bi-layered scaffold, which needed weeks of co-culturing of fibroblasts and keratinocytes to achieve similar striation. Chitosan solution was freeze-dried and made into porous disks. Chitosan or chitosan-pectin in acetic acid solution was electrospun onto the chitosan disk to form a nanofibrous layer and a thin film. Examinations based on scanning electron spectroscopy showed that the scaffold was composed of a porous layer (2 mm) to simulate the dermis, a thin film (25-45 μm) to mimic the basement membrane, and a layer of nanofibers (100-200 μm) to serve as the protective epidermis. The tensile strength and modulus of the composite scaffold were significantly higher than those of the chitosan disk (p < 0.01). The composite was able to quickly absorb water and stayed intact throughout the course of the 14-day cell culture tests. The fibroblast cells seeded on both sides of the scaffolds were able to proliferate and stayed separated by the thin film.
authors.affiliation: a Graduate Institute of Biochemical and Biomedical Engineering , National Taipei University of Technology , Taipei 106 , Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsin-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shin-Hung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shih-Hsin
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Sheng-Tung
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D048271:Chitosan; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D057139:Nanofibers; D010368:Pectins; D016062:Porosity; D017768:Skin, Artificial; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013718:Tensile Strength; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D010368:Pectins; D004247:DNA; D048271:Chitosan; D019342:Acetic Acid
keywords: chitosan; electrospinning; full-thickness; skin substitute; tri-layered scaffold