Covalently immobilized gelatin gradients within three-dimensional porous scaffolds

A stable gelatin gradient providing continuous increment of signaling for cell adhesion and prolifera-tion was fabricated within 3D poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) scaffolds. The porous PLLA scaffold fabricated by NaCl particle leaching was vertically fixed on a glass vial. 1,6-Hexanediamine/propanol solution was continuously injected into the vial by a micropump to aminolyze the PLLA scaffold. As a result of reac-tion time difference, the introduced —NH₂ groups increased continuously along with the longitude of the PLLA scaffold in the z-direction. After covalent immobilization of gelatin by glutaraldehyde coupling, the gelatin gradient scaffold was thus obtained. In vitro chondrocyte culture showed that the cells had higher viability and more extending morphology in the gelatin gradient scaffold than that in the uniform gelatin control.