Fabrication, characterization and in vitro cell study of gelatin-chitosan scaffolds: New perspectives of use of aloe vera and snail mucus for soft tissue engineering

Burn lesions are frequently occurring injuries that exhibit poor healing ability. Scaffolds play a critical role in the reconstruction of damaged living tissue. The present study aimed to assess the effect of different gelatin-chitosan ratios of scaffold forming suspensions (SFS) on some physical properties of theses suspensions and on their scaffolds. The best ratio was chosen to produce novel gelatin-chitosan scaffolds, with additional Aloe vera and/or Snail mucus to investigate cell viability and attachment of fibroblasts and mesenchymal stem cells with the structural matrix. The sol-gel temperature of SFS underwent a slight decrease with the reduction of the chitosan proportion in the SFS, while the gel-sol temperature was not affected by the biopolymer's ratio. Their compression modulus increased as a function of the decrease in chitosan proportions. Scaffolds made with Aloe vera presented a better-defined pores and thinner walls. The fibroblasts proliferated gradually until 28 days. The attachment morphology of MSC progresses from rounded to elongated-shaped spindle to sheath-shaped, and from sheath to confluent cell sheath form. Enhanced packing and entanglement of cells inside the material made with aloe vera and snail mucus were observed. Scaffold bioactivity showed to be optimal for both fibroblast and mesenchymal stem cell development. •The increase of chitosan ratio decreased the compression modulus in scaffolds.•Aloe vera and Snail mucus facilitated cellular migration into the scaffolds.•Fibroblast formed multiple protrusions and cellular aggregates in the scaffolds.•Aloe vera and Snail mucus, did not originate negative effects on the growth cells.