Low-temperature 3D-printed Aloe vera/fish-derived decellularized ECM biocomposites for wound dressing application: fabrication, characterization, and in vitro evaluation
Source abstract
Abstract
The development of effective wound dressings requires biomaterial platforms with structural integrity, biocompatibility, and multifunctional bioactivity. This study engineered composite hydrogels by blending tilapia skin-derived decellularized extracellular matrix (TSdECM) with Aloe vera (AV) at 0, 5, and 10 mg/mL for wound healing. TSdECM/AV-10 exhibited the highest porosity, water absorption, and swelling capacity, while retaining moderate degradability. Rheological analysis confirmed shear-thinning behavior and tunable storage modulus, with AV reducing viscosity. Low-temperature extrusion-based 3D printing at −20 °C yielded scaffolds with high shape fidelity. The constructs supported robust fibroblast viability and enhanced proliferation, endothelial tube formation, and epidermal differentiation. Air-liquid interface co-culture revealed upregulated cytokeratin 10 and 14, indicative of improved stratification. Macrophage polarization assays showed elevated M2 markers, reduced pro-inflammatory genes, and strong immunomodulatory effects. Moreover, TSdECM/AV-10 scaffolds exhibited potent antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and promoted rapid blood clot formation. Overall, these findings highlight TSdECM/AV scaffolds as versatile, bioactive platforms that integrate mechanical resilience with pro-regenerative, immunomodulatory, and antimicrobial functions, offering strong translational potential for advanced skin tissue engineering.
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Electrospun Nanofibers in Biomedical Applications · 3D Printing in Biomedical Research · Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Technologies
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (68)
Show source-provided references
1. Instructive microenvironments in skin wound healing: biomaterials as signal releasing platforms10.1016/j.addr.2018.03.012 ↗
2. Skin tissue engineering: Wound healing based on stem-cell-based therapeutic strategies10.1186/s13287-019-1212-2 ↗
3. S. A. Eming, P. Martin, M. Tomic-Canic, 2014. Wound repair and regeneration: Mechanisms, signaling, and translation, Sci. Transl. Med. 6 (2014) 265sr6-265sr6. https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.3009337.10.1126/scitranslmed.3009337 ↗
4. Recent progress of collagen, chitosan, alginate and other hydrogels in skin repair and wound dressing applications10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.03.002 ↗
5. Advanced therapeutic dressings for effective wound healing–a review10.1002/jps.24610 ↗
6. Bio-inspired green light crosslinked alginate-heparin hydrogels support HUVEC tube formation10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104932 ↗
7. In vitro characterization of chitosan-gelatin scaffolds for tissue engineering10.1016/j.biomaterials.2005.05.036 ↗
8. An overview of the use of equine collagen as emerging material for biomedical applications10.3390/jfb11040079 ↗
9. Acellular fish skin graft use for diabetic lower extremity wound healing: a retrospective study of 58 ulcerations and a literature review
10. The marine Omega3 wound matrix for treatment of complicated wounds: amulticenter experience report10.1007/s00772-018-0428-2 ↗
11. Evaluation of a novel tilapia-skin acellular dermis matrix rationally processed for enhanced wound healing10.1016/j.msec.2021.112202 ↗
12. Tilapia fish waste: an asset for tissue engineering - a review10.4103/jisp.jisp_395_22 ↗
13. Three-dimensional artificial skin construct bioprinted with a marine-based biocomposite10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00253 ↗
14. Biomimetic hydrogel derived from decellularized dermal matrix facilitates skin wounds healing
15. Development and evaluation of tilapia skin-derived gelatin, collagen, and acellular dermal matrix for potential use as hemostatic sponges
16. Wound healing ability of acellular fish skin and bovine collagen grafts for split-thickness donor sites in burn patients: Characterization of acellular grafts and clinical application10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.02.055 ↗
17. Application of tilapia skin acellular dermal matrix to induce acute skin wound repair in rats10.3389/fbioe.2021.792344 ↗
18. Preparation and characterization of wound healing hydrogel based on fish skin collagen and chitosan cross-linked by dialdehyde starch
19. Bio-printed hydrogel textiles based on fish skin decellularized extracellular matrix for wound healing10.1016/j.eng.2022.05.022 ↗
20. Decellularization of fish tissues for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications10.1093/rb/rbae138 ↗
21. Advanced SA/PVA-based hydrogel matrices with prolonged release of aloe vera as promising wound dressings10.1016/j.msec.2020.111667 ↗
22. The review on properties of aloe vera in healing of cutaneous wounds
23. In situ electrospun aloe-nanofiber membrane for chronic wound healing
24. Study of hybrid alginate/gelatin hydrogel-incorporated niosomal Aloe vera capable of sustained release of aloe vera as potential skin wound dressing10.1007/s00289-019-02753-8 ↗
25. Direct ink writing of aloe vera/cellulose nanofibrils bio-hydrogels10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.118114 ↗
26. Acemannan stimulates gingival fibroblast proliferation; expressions of keratinocyte growth factor-1, vascular endothelial growth factor, and type I collagen; and wound healing10.1254/jphs.08204FP ↗
27. A novel angiogenic factor derived from aloe vera gel: beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol10.1023/A:1009058232389 ↗
28. Aloe vera for tissue engineering applications10.3390/jfb8010006 ↗
29. Preparation and characterization of films based on alginate and aloe vera10.1080/1023666X.2011.599923 ↗
30. J. Movaffagh, M. Khatib, B. S. Fazly Bazzaz, Z. Taherzadeh, M. Hashemi, A. Seyedian Moghaddam, S. A. Tabatabaee, M. Azizzadeh, N. Jirofti, Evaluation of wound-healing efficiency of a functional Chitosan/Aloe vera hydrogel on the improvement of re-epithelialization in full thickness wound model of rat, J. Viab. 31 (4) (2022) 649-656. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtv.2022.07.009.10.1016/j.jtv.2022.07.009 ↗
31. Preparation and characterization of aloe vera blended collagen-chitosan composite scaffold for tissue engineering applications10.1021/am401637c ↗
32. Nature-derived aloe vera gel blended silk fibroin film scaffolds for cornea endothelial cell regeneration and transplantation10.1021/acsami.6b04901 ↗
33. Cryogenic 3D printed hydrogel scaffolds loading exosomes accelerate diabetic wound healing10.1016/j.cej.2021.130634 ↗
34. Fabrication of micro/nanoporous collagen/dECM/silk-fibroin biocomposite scaffolds using a low temperature 3D printing process for bone tissue regeneration10.1016/j.msec.2017.11.013 ↗
35. Design of a decellularized fish skin as a biological scaffold for skin tissue regeneration10.1016/j.tice.2021.101509 ↗
36. 3D conductive nanocomposite scaffold for bone tissue engineering
37. In vitrocell migration, invasion, and adhesion assays: from cell imaging to data analysis10.3389/fcell.2019.00107 ↗
38. Targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 and protein kinase D1 related pathways by a multiple kinase inhibitor in angiogenesis and inflammation related processes in vitro10.1371/journal.pone.0124234 ↗
39. Designed three-dimensional collagen scaffolds for skin tissue regeneration10.1089/ten.tec.2009.0511 ↗
40. Poly(vinyl alcohol)/chitosan hydrogel incorporating chitooligosaccharide-gentisic acid conjugate with antioxidant and antibacterial properties as a potential wound dressing10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.128047 ↗
41. Development of a chitosan-based wound dressing with improved hemostatic and antimicrobial properties10.1016/j.biomaterials.2008.07.034 ↗
42. Decellularized tilapia fish skin: a novel candidate for tendon tissue engineering
43. An overview of tissue and whole organ decellularization processes10.1016/j.biomaterials.2011.01.057 ↗
44. Compositional features of polysaccharides from Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) plant tissues10.1016/S0144-8617(98)00163-5 ↗
45. High-contentaloe verabased hydrogels: Physicochemical and pharmaceutical properties10.3390/polym15051312 ↗
46. Collagen extract obtained from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) skin accelerates wound healing in rat model via up regulating VEGF, bFGF, and α-SMA genes expression10.1186/s12917-020-02566-2 ↗
47. Optimizing scaffold pore size for tissue engineering: insights across various tissue types10.3389/fbioe.2024.1444986 ↗
48. Wound dressings: current advances and future directions10.1002/app.47738 ↗
49. Nanocomposite scaffolds for accelerating chronic wound healing by enhancing angiogenesis10.1186/s12951-020-00755-7 ↗
50. Hydrogels for biomedical applications10.1016/S0169-409X(01)00239-3 ↗
51. Hydrogels in biology and medicine: from molecular principles to bionanotechnology10.1002/adma.200501612 ↗
52. Recent advances on the development of wound dressings for diabetic foot ulcer treatment–a review10.1016/j.actbio.2013.03.033 ↗
53. Aloe vera and the proliferative phase of cutaneous wound healing: Status quo report on active principles, mechanisms, and applications
54. A new biomaterial derived fromAloe vera-Acemannan from basic studies to clinical application10.3390/pharmaceutics15071913 ↗
55. A pH-responsive, surface charge-switchable nanosystem with enhanced biofilm penetration for synergistic photodynamic and antibiotic therapy of diabetic wounds
56. Minireview: Nanoparticles and the immune system10.1210/en.2009-1082 ↗
57. Comparative study of antimicrobial action of aloe vera and antibiotics against different bacterial isolates from skin infection10.1002/vms3.488 ↗
58. Aloe vera-based hydrogels for wound healing: properties and therapeutic effects10.3390/gels9070539 ↗
59. Jammed microgel inks for 3D printing applications10.1002/advs.201801076 ↗
60. Aloe vera-based biomaterial ink for 3D bioprinting of wound dressing constructs10.1002/jbm.b.35379 ↗
61. Assessment methodologies for extrusion-based bioink printability10.1088/1758-5090/ab6f0d ↗
62. Understanding the effect of mean pore size on cell activity in collagen-glycosaminoglycan scaffolds10.4161/cam.4.3.11747 ↗
63. Effect of crosslinking in chitosan/aloe vera-based membranes for biomedical applications10.1016/j.carbpol.2013.06.022 ↗
64. Shape memory polyacrylamide/gelatin hydrogel with controllable mechanical and drug release properties potential for wound dressing application10.1016/j.polymer.2021.123786 ↗
65. Scaffolds for wound healing applications10.3390/polym12092010 ↗
66. X. Yang, J. Gao, S. Yang, Y. Wu, H. Liu, D. Su, D. Li (2023). Pore size-mediated macrophage M1 to M2 transition affects osseointegration of 3D-printed PEEK scaffolds, Int. J. Bioprinting 910.18063/ijb.755 ↗
67. (5) (2023) 755. https://doi.org/10.18063/ijb.755.10.18063/ijb.755 ↗
68. Physical double-network hydrogel adhesives with rapid shape adaptability, fast self-healing, antioxidant and NIR/pH stimulus-responsiveness for multidrug-resistant bacterial infection and removable wound dressing