(178y) Improving Wound Healing Quality Via Gelma Granular Hydrogel Scaffold

Hydrogel-based wound healing therapies have shown significant improvements in the quality and rate of soft tissue wound healing. Granular hydrogel scaffolds (GHS), fabricated via the assembly of hydrogel microparticles (HMP), have been developed to facilitate degradation-independent cell ingrowth and reduce inflammation. Despite the extensive use of bulk gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel scaffolds for wound healing, the potential of GelMA GHS for this purpose remains unexplored. In this study, GelMA GHS was formed, and mechanical characterizations were conducted on the GHS made up of two different HMP sizes. The median pore equivalent diameter as well as compressive and storage moduli of GHS were analyzed to optimize scaffold porosity and integrity for cell migration and proliferation. The macrophage behavior on GelMA GHS was compared with bulk (non-porous) GelMA scaffolds. A murine model of full-thickness skin injury was used to assess the effect of porosity on wound healing in vivo. Although the rate of wound closure was not affected by porosity, a thicker granulation tissue was observed via hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and immunofluorescence staining after 11 days of GHS implantation. In vivo results suggest improved wound healing quality using GelMA GHS compared with the bulk hydrogel counterpart. The results obtained from both in vitro and in vivo experiments show that GelMA GHS improves tissue regeneration. This study may lay the foundation for regenerative applications of GelMA GHS.