Fabrication and Comparative Evaluation of Psyllium Husk Polysaccharide-Based Lyophilized, Electrospun and Three-Dimensional Printed Scaffolds for Functional Performance of Primary Hepatocytes

Abstract

Psyllium husk is known for its therapeutic value and is abundantly used in food, medicinal, and nutraceutical applications. In the present study, we have explored the potential of psyllium husk polysaccharide hydrogel either alone or in combination with gelatin for the culture and maintenance of adult rat hepatocytes. We have designed and fabricated electrospun nanofibrous sheets, three-dimensional (3D) printed, and lyophilized scaffolds using psyllium husk polysaccharide. Primary hepatocytes were harvested from the rat liver by the double perfusion method using collagenase. Results showed that all the scaffolds exhibited porous space in a similar size range of 100 to 250 μm, with 3D printed and lyophilized scaffolds within the range of 200–240 μm and 60–190 μm, respectively, which is reported to support the culture and performance of hepatocytes. Furthermore, morphology and viability characterization using MTT assay revealed that all the scaffolds displayed a remarkable viability of primary hepatocytes (~280%) and a significant level of aggregate formation compared to those on collagen-coated 2D substrates. All the 3D scaffolds supported hepatocyte secretion of albumin (0.1–0.6 mg/mL) and urea (20 to 180 μg/mL) into the extracellular fluid. Although all the scaffolds exhibited enhanced spheroid formation, viability, and metabolic functions, 3D printed (75-3DP) and electrospun (50-ES and 75-ES) scaffolds showed remarkable functional performances (albumin: 0.2–0.6 mg/mL; urea: 40–180 μg/mL) comparatively. © 2025 Wiley Periodicals LLC.