Liver tissue responses to gelatin and gelatin/chitosan gels

Gelatin and gelatin/chitosan gels, crosslinked using glutaraldehyde, were previously developed as substrates for three-dimensional cell-assembly techniques. In this study, the biocompatibility and biodegradation of gelatin and gelatin/chitosan gels were evaluated following implantation in rat livers for periods up to 16 weeks. The two gels were characterized by different inflammatory responses and degradation rates. The gelatin/chitosan gel is more efficient in inducing fibrin formation and vascularization at the implant-host interface. The degrees of inflammatory reaction for the gelatin/chitosan gel were significantly stronger than the gelatin gel. Advanced biodegradation of the gelatin gels was observed. These data indicate that the gelatin gel has better liver tissue biocompatibility and a faster biodegraded rate than the gelatin/chitosan gel.