Efficacy of supermacroporous poly(ethylene glycol)–gelatin cryogel matrix for soft tissue engineering applications

• PEG–gelatin cryogel matrices were produced by cryogelation technology.
• Matrices showed suitable properties for tissue engineering applications.
• Polymeric cryogels supported growth of IMR-32, C2C12 and Cos-7 cells in vitro.

Three dimensional scaffolds synthesized using natural or synthetic polymers act as an artificial niche for cell adherence and proliferation. In this study, we have fabricated cryogels employing blend of poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) and gelatin using two different crosslinkers like, glutaraldehyde and EDC-NHS by cryogelation technique. Synthesized matrices possessed interconnected porous structure in the range of 60–100 μm diameter and regained their original length after 90% compression without deformation. Visco-elastic behavior was studied by rheology and unconfined compression analysis, elastic modulus of these cryogels was observed to be > 105 Pa which showed their elasticity and mechanical strength. TGA and DSC also showed the stability of these cryogels at different temperatures. In vitro degradation capacity was analyzed for 4 weeks at 37 °C. IMR-32, C2C12 and Cos-7 cells proliferation and ECM secretion on PEG–gelatin cryogels were observed by SEM and fluorescent analysis. In vitro biocompatibility was analyzed by MTT assay for the period of 15 days. Furthermore, cell proliferation efficiency, metabolic activity and functionality of IMR-32 cells were analyzed by neurotransmitter assay and DNA quantification. The cell–matrix interaction, elasticity, mechanical strength, stability at different temperatures, biocompatible, degradable nature showed the potentiality of these cryogels towards soft tissue engineering such as neural, cardiac and skin.