Fabrication of Bio-Based Gelatin Sponge for Potential Use as A Functional Acellular Skin Substitute

The study investigated the development of a bio-based gelatin sponge (GS) as a potential acellular skin substitute for full-thickness wound treatment. The GS was fabricated using buffalo gelatin and crosslinked with genipin (GNP) and 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC), enhancing its mechanical strength, stability, and biocompatibility. Double crosslinking, particularly with GNP0.5EDC30, achieved the highest crosslinking degree and improved biostability, although it showed slight toxicity and higher immunogenicity. The GS demonstrated high porosity, wettability, and mechanical strength, with a degradation rate of 14 hours. The study concluded that the crosslinked gelatin sponges exhibited enhanced functional properties, making them promising candidates for use as acellular skin substitutes in regenerative medicine.