Collagen - modified chitosan hydrogels for primary dermal fibroblast encapsulation and application in soft tissue regeneration

Abstract

Obtaining tissue engineered products assumes translating the in vivo into in vitro by combining natural with synthetic or modified materials. One approach refers to cell encapsulation into hydrogels that are able to mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) by offering an optimal microenvironment for normal cell functioning, cell-cell interaction, signaling and by presenting adhesion cues for cells, such as the RGD sequence naturally found on collagen