Innovative Use of Gallic Acid as a Crosslinking Agent for Gelatin: A Biocompatible Strategy for 3D-Printed Scaffolds
Teresa Carranza1, Elias Hasan2, Pedro Guerrero1,3,4
1BIOMAT Research Group, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Escuela de Ingeniería de Gipuzkoa, Europa Plaza 1, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.
Pharmaceutics
|August 28, 2025
Summary
Gallic acid crosslinking stabilizes gelatin for 3D printing. This method creates cytocompatible and mechanically stable scaffolds ideal for tissue engineering applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Gelatin stabilization is crucial for tissue engineering scaffolds.
- Protein-polyphenol conjugation offers an innovative stabilization approach.
- Gallic acid is a natural phenolic compound with crosslinking potential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To utilize gallic acid as a crosslinking agent for gelatin.
- To develop and evaluate 3D printable gelatin-based inks.
- To assess the cytocompatibility and mechanical stability of the resulting scaffolds.
Main Methods:
- Formulating gelatin inks with gallic acid for alkaline crosslinking.
- Evaluating rheological properties and 3D printing performance of the inks.
- Assessing scaffold properties (color, FTIR, mechanical) and post-processing treatments for cytocompatibility.
Main Results:
- Inks demonstrated shear-thinning behavior and self-supporting capacity for 3D printing.
- Alkaline oxidation confirmed gelatin crosslinking via color and FTIR changes.
- PBS or NaOH/PBS treatments yielded cytocompatible scaffolds with suitable mechanical properties.
Conclusions:
- Gallic acid-mediated crosslinking under alkaline conditions successfully stabilizes gelatin.
- This strategy enables the fabrication of mechanically stable and cytocompatible gelatin scaffolds.
- The developed scaffolds are suitable for tissue engineering applications.
