Exploring the Use of Water-Extracted Flaxseed Hydrocolloids in Three-Dimensional Cell Culture

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Green Chemistry

Background:

• Plant-derived hydrocolloids show potential in biomedical fields.
• Flaxseed hydrocolloid (FSH) offers tunable viscosity, swelling capacity, and biocompatibility for scaffold fabrication.
• The pristine form of FSH has not been extensively studied for long-term 3D cell culture.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize Flaxseed hydrocolloid (FSH) scaffolds using a green extraction method.
• To evaluate the suitability of FSH scaffolds for sustainable long-term 3D cell culture.
• To assess cell viability, adhesion, morphology, and expression of key proteins within the FSH scaffold.

Main Methods:

• A single-step aqueous green extraction method was used to obtain FSH.
• FSH scaffolds were fabricated and characterized for morphological, chemical, and mechanical properties.
• NIH-3T3 mouse fibroblast cells were cultured in 3D on FSH scaffolds for 30 days, with assessments of cell viability (Live/Dead, Alamar Blue), cell adhesion/morphology (SEM), and protein expression (immunostaining for collagen type-I and F-actin).

Main Results:

• FSH scaffolds exhibited favorable morphological, chemical, and mechanical properties.
• Sustained high cell viability was observed in 3D cultures on FSH scaffolds compared to 2D cultures.
• Significant increases in collagen type-I (5-fold) and F-actin (4-fold) expression were noted after 30 days, indicating positive cell-material interactions and matrix remodeling.

Conclusions:

• The green extraction method yields biocompatible FSH scaffolds suitable for long-term 3D cell culture.
• FSH scaffolds promote cell adhesion, proliferation, and matrix production, demonstrating significant potential for tissue engineering applications.
• This study highlights the efficacy of FSH as a sustainable biomaterial for advanced regenerative medicine strategies.