Fabrication of porous gelatin-chitosan microcarriers and modeling of process parameters via the RSM method

• Preparation of porous gelatin-chitosan microcarriers (MCs) with the size of 350 ± 50 μm using electrospraying technique.
• Investigating the effect of process parameters including blend ratio, voltage, and syringe pump flow rate on MCs diameter and density.
• Modeling the fabrication process via response surface methodology (RSM).
• Conforming the suitability of prepared MCS for attachment, proliferation, and spreading of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).

Porous gelatin-chitosan microcarriers (MCs) with the size of 350 ± 50 μm were fabricated with blends of different gelatin/chitosan (G/C) weight ratio using an electrospraying technique. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to study the quantitative influence of process parameters, including blend ratio, voltage, and syringe pump flow rate, on MCs diameter and density. In the following, MCs of the same diameter and different G/C weight ratio (1, 2, and 3) were fabricated and their porosity and biocompatibility were investigated via SEM images and MTT assay, respectively. The results showed that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could attach, proliferate, and spread on fabricated porous MCs during 7 days of culturing especially on those prepared with a G/C weight ratio of 1. Such porous gelatin-chitosan MCs with a G/C weight ratio of 1 may be considered as a promising candidate for injectable carriers supporting attachment and proliferation of MSCs.