Abstract:
The study presents the preparation and characterization of new scaffolds based on bacterial
cellulose and keratin hydrogel which were seeded with adipose stem cells. The bacterial cellulose
was obtained by developing an Acetobacter xylinum culture and was visualized using SEM (scanning
electron microscopy) and elementally determined through EDAX (dispersive X-ray analysis) tests.
Keratin species (β–keratose and
-keratose) was extracted by hydrolytic degradation from nondyed
human hair. SEM, EDAX and conductometric titration tests were performed for physical–
chemical and morphological evaluation. Cytocompatibility tests performed in vitro confirmed the
material non-toxic effect on cells. The scaffolds, with and without stem cells, were grafted on
the burned wounds on the rabbit’s dorsal region and the grafts were monitored for 21 days after
the application on the wounds. The clinical monitoring of the grafts and the histopathological
examination demonstrated the regenerative potential of the bacterial cellulose–keratin scaffolds,
under the test conditions.
