Evaluation of double network hydrogel of poloxamer-heparin/gellan gum for bone marrow stem cells delivery carrier

Supplementary material related to this article can be found, in the online version, at doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2019.06.041.In this study, a double network hydrogel of a natural polysaccharide gellan gum (GG) hydrogel and a synthetic hydrogel poloxamer-heparin (PoH) hydrogel (PoH/GG DNH) is introduced to complement disadvantages of each hydrogel and improve the microenvironment for cell delivery. The microstructure, surface morphology, gelation temperature, swelling and weight loss, sol fraction, mechanical property and thermal stability was examined. The potential of the composite hydrogel for cell vehicle was demonstrated by encapsulation of bone marrow stem cells isolated from rabbits (rBMSCs) within the PoH/GG DNH in vitro. The results showed that the DNH system supported cell survival and retained rBMSCs morphology and phenotype. Moreover, cell distribution, adherence, and ECM production were supported by PoH/GG DNH in vivo. Overall results provide a potential opportunity to apply the composite hydrogels in tissue engineering purpose.This research was supported by a grant of the Korea Health Technology R&D Project through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (grant number: HI15C2996) and a grant of theKoreaHealthTechnology R&D Project through KHIDI (HI15C2996)