Study of 3D-printed chitosan scaffold features after different post-printing gelation processes

Carlo Bergonzi; Antonina Di Natale; Francesca Zimetti; Cinzia Marchi; Annalisa Bianchera; Franco Bernini; Marco Silvestri; Ruggero Bettini; Lisa Elviri

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-36613-8

Study of 3D-printed chitosan scaffold features after different post-printing gelation processes

Sci Rep. 2019 Jan 23;9(1):362. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-36613-8.

Authors

Carlo Bergonzi¹, Antonina Di Natale¹, Francesca Zimetti¹, Cinzia Marchi¹, Annalisa Bianchera², Franco Bernini¹, Marco Silvestri^{3

4}, Ruggero Bettini¹, Lisa Elviri⁵

Affiliations

¹ Food and Drug Department, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, 43124, Parma, Italy.
² Interdepartmental Centre Biopharmanet-Tec, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, 43124, Parma, Italy.
³ Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 181/A, 43124, Parma, Italy.
⁴ Department of Innovative Technologies, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), CH-6928, Manno, Switzerland.
⁵ Food and Drug Department, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, 43124, Parma, Italy. lisa.elviri@unipr.it.

Abstract

3D biomaterial manufacturing strategies show an extraordinary driving force for the development of innovative therapies in the tissue engineering field. Here, the behaviour of 3D printed chitosan (CH)-based scaffolds was explored as a function of the post-printing gelation process. To this purpose, gel forming properties of different media were tested on their capability to retain 3D structure, water content, mechanical resistance and surface/internal porosity. Three different gelation media (i.e. KOH 1.5 M, Na₂CO₃ 1.5 M, ammonia vapours) were selected and the 3D CH scaffolds were tested in terms of biocompatibility toward fibroblast as skin associated human cell line.