Polylactic acid microparticles embedded porous gelatin scaffolds with multifunctional properties for soft tissue engineering

Suitable three-dimensional scaffolds showing controllable drug delivery properties, known as multifunctional scaffolds, have gained increasing interest for soft tissue engineering. Here, tetracycline hydrochloride-encapsulated polylactic acid (TCH-PLA) microparticles prepared by using the double emulsion/solvent evaporation method were incorporated into a gelatin matrix. Highly interconnected porous TCH-PLA-in-Gel scaffolds were formed by using lyophilization. In vitro release studies showed that the scaffolds exhibit a controlled release behavior and release low amounts of the drug. TCH-PLA particles additionally reinforced porous gelatin scaffolds and enhanced thermal stability. Antibacterial activity of the scaffolds against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was confirmed by using the disk diffusion method. The scaffolds exhibited biocompatibility with adult human dermal fibroblasts, without cytotoxicity. Results indicated that TCH-PLA-in-Gel scaffolds showing multifunctional properties are good candidates for the applications of soft tissue engineering.