Capillary alginate gel (Capgel™) for the treatment of full-thickness dermal wounds in a hypoxic mouse model

Abstract

In this study, capillary alginate gel (Capgel™), a collagen and alginate based self-assembling biomaterial, was used as a cellular scaffold for the treatment of ischemic, full-thickness dermal wounds in mice. Capgel™ was synthesized using copper sulfate to form the initial sol before rinsing and stabilizing the patent capillary structures with carbodiimide chemistry. This crosslinked hydrogel was then injected into ischemic, full-thickness dermal wounds and analyzed via histology after 7 and 10 days to assess wound contracture, granulation bed tissue and vascular structures. Capgel™ showed good resorbability and was well-invested with infiltrating host cells and vascular structures during and after resorption.