Alginate-Based Hydrogels with Amniotic Membrane Stem Cells for Wound Dressing Application

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Stem Cell Biology

Background:

• Chronic wounds pose a significant clinical challenge, driving the need for advanced regenerative therapies.
• Amniotic membrane-derived stem cells (AMSCs) show promise for tissue repair.
• Alginate hydrogels offer a versatile scaffold for cell delivery and tissue engineering.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an innovative biomaterial for in vitro wound healing.
• To prepare an AMSC-loaded alginate hydrogel (AMSC/Alg-H) cross-linked with calcium chloride.
• To assess the in vitro effectiveness of AMSC/Alg-H for promoting wound closure.

Main Methods:

• Formulation of AMSC/Alg-H hydrogel by combining AMSCs, sodium alginate, and calcium chloride.
• Characterization using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), FTIR, and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC).
• Evaluation of cytotoxicity and in vitro wound healing capacity via cell scratch assay and TGF-β1 measurement.

Main Results:

• Successful formulation and characterization of AMSC/Alg-H hydrogel, confirming MSC encapsulation and crosslinking.
• AMSC/Alg-H exhibited no significant cytotoxicity to HaCaT cells.
• Achieved 100% wound closure within 24 hours, surpassing controls and enhancing cell proliferation and migration.

Conclusions:

• AMSC/Alg-H demonstrates significant potential as an advanced regenerative therapy for in vitro wound healing.
• The biomaterial effectively maintains AMSC viability and promotes tissue-like structure formation.
• This hydrogel represents a promising strategy for accelerating chronic wound closure.