Cellulose hydorogel for three-dimensional scaffold of cell culture

在120 ℃的温度下，纤维素完全溶解在60重量%的溴化锂水溶液中。然后将纤维素溶液倒入预先在120度加热的含有大量过量盐（NaCl）颗粒的玻璃容器中。通过冷却至室温并通过用水洗涤除去板条，从溶液中再生纤维素。由此获得的纤维素凝胶具有直径大于0.1mm的均匀且大的孔径。在该方法中使用的盐的粒度导致凝胶的形态和机械性能的控制。将兔软骨细胞接种于凝胶中，体外培养3周，观察软骨细胞增殖及向软骨分化的情况。因此，纤维素凝胶有可能作为组织工程细胞培养的三维支架材料。

Cellulose was completely dissolved in the 60 wt% lithium bromide aqueous solution in the temperature 120 degrees. Then the cellulose solution was poured into glass container containing large excess amount of salt (NaCl) particles that was heated at 120 degrees in advance. The cellulose was regenerated from the solution by cooling down to room temperature and removing the slats by washing with water. The cellulose gel thus obtained has a uniform and large pore size more than 0.1 mm in diameter. The particle size of salts used in the process leads to the control of morphology and mechanical properties of the gel. The gels were seeded with rabbit chondrocyte and cultured in vitro for three weeks, and proliferation of chondrocyte and its differentiation to cartilagines were observed. In consequence, the cellulose gel has a possibility using as a three-dimensional scaffold for cell culture of tissue engineering.