Dermal Regeneration Using Porogen-Leached Poly(glycerol sebacate)-Urethane Scaffolds with Controlled Morphology and...

This study presents an innovative approach for 3D-printed poly(glycerol sebacate)-urethane (PGSU) scaffolds with controlled morphology and mechanical properties for dermal tissue regeneration. We successfully printed PGSU/salt composites at room temperature using a solvent-based method. This process utilized in situ crosslinking with hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) to provide elasticity and structural stability. The diisocyanate concentration and salt content were optimized based on the requirements for dermal tissue replacement. The optimized formulation consisted of 0.2 mol of HDI and 2 g of salt, while a 1:3 polymer-to-solvent ratio was used to achieve the appropriate viscosity and printability. As a Control, conventional thermally cured PGS scaffolds were considered. PGS and PGSU scaffolds were observed by FESEM, and FTIR analysis identified their functional groups. Mechanical testing revealed that the tensile strength of PGSU increased by 3.2 times, from 0.05 MPa in Control to 0.16 MPa, greatly enhancing its durability. Furthermore, the modulus of PGSU (0.33 MPa) is similar to that of native dermal tissue, demonstrating its promising potential for skin regeneration applications. In vivo subcutaneous implantation studies further revealed that the PGSU scaffold is biocompatible, has a lower degradation rate, and remains in the subcutaneous tissue longer. Overall, the findings indicated that PGSU elucidated a controlled and non-pathogenic foreign body response.