A new approach for obtaining chitosan-carbon nanotube implants enriched with calcium ions in the form of tubular hydrogels is fostered. The intended application of the hydrogels is tissue engineering, especially peripheral nervous tissue regeneration. The fabrication method, based on an electrodeposition phenomenon, shows significant advantages over current solutions as implants can now be obtained rapidly at any required dimensions. Thus, it may open a new avenue to treat patients with peripheral nerve injuries. Either single walled or multiwalled carbon nanotubes enhance the mechanical properties of the tubular hydrogels. The controlled presence of calcium ions, sourced from hydroxyapatite, is also expected to augment the regenerative response. Because in vitro cytotoxic assays on mouse cell lines (L929 fibroblasts and mHippoE-18 hippocampal cells) as well as pro-inflammatory tests on THP-1XBlue™ cells show that the manufactured implants are biocompatible, we next intend to evaluate their immune- and nervous-safety on an animal model.
Keywords: Carbon nanotubes; Chitosan; Electrodeposition; Hydroxyapatite; Nerve regeneration.
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