Superporous cellulose-derived cryogels for tissue engineering applications

Abstract Here, cryogels of cellulose derivatives, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) with varying degrees of substitution (DS) of 0.7, 0.9, and 1.2 denoted as CMC 0.7 , CMC 0.9 , and CMC 1.2 , and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) were prepared at cryogenic conditions, − 20 °C. The cryo-crosslinking reaction using divinylsulfone (DVS) as crosslinking at 100 mol% ratio cellulose-derivates (based on the repeating CMC and HPMC unit) is accomplished. The S–O peaks about 1100 and 1250 cm −1 wavelength in FT-IR spectra of cryogels and interconnected super pores in 50–500 µm size ranges from SEM images confirmed the chemical crosslinked CMC and HPCM cryogel synthesis. The DS of CMC influenced the swelling, degradation, and blood compatibility results of CMC-based cryogels. The CMC 0.7 cryogel showed the highest swelling ratio%, 1991 ± 23% in PBS and highest hydrolytic degradation%, with 24 ± 4.8% weight loss within 7 days among all CMC-based cryogels. Additionally, all cellulose derivative cryogels were found to be hemocompatible with less than 3% hemolysis and more than 80% blood clotting index values and exhibited nontoxicity with more than 95% cell viability on L929 fibroblast even at high concentration, 1 mg/mL concentration. These findings indicate that these cryogels are excellent materials for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine as the porosity and degradation parameter can be readily controlled to promote cell proliferation and nutrient diffusion for different cells and tissues.