Bioprinted Gelatin-Recombinant Type III Collagen Hydrogel Promotes Wound Healing

Abstract

Artificial skins are biomaterials that can replace the lost skin or promote the regeneration of damaged skin. Skin regenerative biomaterials are highly applauded because they can exempt patients with severe burns from the painful procedure of autologous skin transplantation. Notwithstanding decades of research, biocompatible, degradable, and printable biomaterials that can effectively promote skin regeneration as a transplantation replacement in clinical use are still scarce. Here, we report one type of all-protein hydrogel material as the product of the enzymatic crosslinking reaction of gelatin and a recombinant type III collagen (rColIII) protein. Doping the rColIII protein in gelatin reduces the inflammatory response as an implant underneath the skin. The all-protein hydrogel can be bioprinted as scaffolds to support the growth and proliferation of 3T3 fibroblast cells. The hydrogel used as a wound dressing promotes wound healing in a rat model of skin damage, showing a faster and healthier recovery than the controls. The rColIII protein in the hydrogel has been shown to play a critical role in skin regeneration. Altogether, this work manifests the development of all-protein gelatin-rColIII hydrogel and demonstrates its use in wound healing. The gelatin-collagen hydrogel wound dressing thereby may become a promising treatment of severe wounds in the future.

Application of Collagen-Based Hydrogel in Skin Wound Healing

“…Huang et al designed bionic hydrogel inks by combining gelatin and collagen. The gelatin stabilized the 3D-printed scaffold, while adding rCol III significantly accelerated wound healing and improved repair quality [ 101 ].…”

Hydrogels: From Design to Applications in Forensic Investigations

“…They promote skin regeneration and have proven to be a useful product for transplantation cases. [101]…”

Synthesis and Properties of Biodegradable Hydrogel Based on Polysaccharide Wound Dressing

“…Hydrogel is a kind of hydrophilic three-dimensional network structure that has water as a dispersion medium, and is insoluble but can swell [ 1 , 2 ]. Under the influence of water, hydrogel can swell and handle large amounts of biological liquid, protecting the network structure within the cross-linked polymer chains and providing a springy effect for the hydrogel-treated objects [ 3 ]. A variety of hydrophilic groups are attached to the polymer side chain skeleton in the hydrogel, including –COOH, –OH, –SO 3 H, –NH 2 , and –CONH, which can maintain the water retention property of hydrogel [ 4 ].…”