Abstract
Polyurethane (PUr) foams are widely explored for embolic, hemostatic, and tissue engineering applications. Their tunable pore structure, mechanical properties, and degradation rates make PUr foams ideal scaffolds for thrombus formation and cell infiltration. Despite their embolic and hemostatic efficacy, PUrs are entirely synthetic, which limits their long-term healing capacity to facilitate tissue regeneration. To improve PUr-driven healing, this work explores the facile modification of biodegradable PUr foams with bioactive gelatin through simple physical and chemical incorporation methods accomplished post-foam fabrication. The gelatin-modified PUr foams had increased platelet interactions and quicker clotting times than the unmodified PUr foams due to the procoagulant nature of gelatin. Furthermore, the gelatin-modified foams had significantly improved cell attachment, spreading, and proliferation of fibroblasts on foam pores, which could translate to enhanced wound repair through tissue migration into the PUr scaffold. Overall, the simple modification of biodegradable PUr foams with bioactive gelatin can significantly improve healing outcomes in traumatic wounds and various regenerative tissue applications.