Arabinoxylan-based psyllium seed hydrocolloid: Single-step aqueous extraction and use in tissue engineering

Biomacromolecules derived from natural sources offer superior biocompatibility, biodegradability, and waterholding capacity, which make them promising scaffolds for tissue engineering. Psyllium seed has gained attention in biomedical applications recently due to its gel -forming ability, which is provided by its polysaccharide -rich content consisting mostly of arabinoxylan. This study focuses on the extraction and gelation of Psyllium seed hydrocolloid (PSH) in a single-step water -based protocol, and scaffold fabrication using freezedrying method. After characterization of the scaffold, including morphological, mechanical, swelling, and protein adsorption analyses, 3D cell culture studies were done using NIH-3 T3 fibroblast cells on PSH scaffold, and cell viability was assessed using Live/Dead and Alamar Blue assays. Starting from day 1, high cell viability was obtained, and it reached 90 % at the end of 15 -day culture period. Cellular morphology on PSH scaffold was monitored via SEM analysis; cellular aggregates then spheroid formation were observed throughout the study. Collagen Type -I and F -actin expressions were followed by immunostaining revealing a 9- and 10 -fold increase during long-term culture. Overall, a single-step and non-toxic protocol was developed for extraction and gelation of PSH. Obtained results unveiled that PSH scaffold provided a favorable 3D microenvironment for cells, holding promise for further tissue engineering applications.