Method for preparing porous scaffold for tissue engineering, cell culture and cell delivery
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to a method for preparing a porous scaffold for tissue engineering. It is another object of the present invention to provide a porous scaffold obtainable by the method as above described, and its use for tissue engineering, cell culture and cell delivery. The method of the invention comprises the steps consisting of: a) preparing an alkaline aqueous solution comprising an amount of at least one polysaccharide, an amount of a cross-linking agent and an amount of a porogen agent b) transforming the solution into a hydrogel by placing said solution at a temperature from about 4° C. to about 80° C. for a sufficient time to allow the cross-linking of said amount of polysaccharide and c) submerging said hydrogel into an aqueous solution d) washing the porous scaffold obtained at step c).
1. A method for preparing a porous scaffold which consists of the following steps:
a) preparing an alkaline aqueous solution comprising an amount of at least one polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of dextran, agar, pullulan, inulin, heparin, fucoidan, and mixtures thereof; an amount of a covalent cross-linking agent selected from the group consisting of trisodium trimetaphosphate (STMP), phosphorus oxychloride (POCl 3 ), epichlorohydrin, formaldehydes, and glutaraldehydes; and an amount of a porogen agent selected from the group consisting of ammonium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate, and sodium bicarbonate and mixtures thereof;
b) transforming the solution into a hydrogel by placing said solution at a temperature from about 4° C. to about 80° C. for a sufficient time to allow the cross-linking of said amount of polysaccharide;
c) submerging said hydrogel into an aqueous acidic solution to form pores; and
d) washing the porous scaffold obtained at step c),
wherein
the porous scaffold is a hydrogel;
the porogen agent is dissolved in step a);
the weight ratio of the polysaccharide to the porogen agent is in the range from 6:1 to 1:1; and
wherein the alkaline aqueous solution in a) does not include a surfactant.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of the polysaccharide to the cross-linking agent is in the range from 15:1 to 1:1.
3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the solution of step a) is poured in a mould before step b).
4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said scaffold is shaped.
5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the porogen agent is selected from the group consisting of ammonium carbonate, calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, and mixtures thereof.