Magnetic field-assisted aligned patterning in an alginate-silk fibroin/nanocellulose composite for guided wound healing

This study was focused on utilizing the magneto-responsiveness of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) in an alginate-silk fibroin (ASF) matrix under a low-strength (0.28 T) magnetic field (MF) for fabrication of a magnetically aligned, anisotropic, three-dimensional wound healing scaffold. The effect of the MF on three different concentrations of CNCs (0.5%, 1%, and 2%) was studied to control the alignment of the ASF scaffold. The as-fabricated scaffolds exhibited a concentration-dependent anisotropy with respect to the CNCs. The SEM, AFM, and, SAXS analysis indicated a higher degree of anisotropy of the MF-treated scaffolds with significant enhancement of Young's modulus vis-à-vis control, demonstrating their mechanical stability. Skin fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and endothelial cells cultured on the magnetically aligned scaffolds showed enhanced proliferation in vitro and demonstrated rapid wound closure under in vivo conditions. Hence, the magnetic property of CNCs could be useful for developing biomimetic anisotropic constructs for wound healing applications.