Polycaprolactone foam functionalized with chitosan microparticles - a suitable scaffold for cartilage regeneration

Physiol Res. 2016;65(1):121-31. doi: 10.33549/physiolres.932998. Epub 2015 Nov 24.

Abstract

For biodegradable porous scaffolds to have a potential application in cartilage regeneration, they should enable cell growth and differentiation and should have adequate mechanical properties. In this study, our aim was to prepare biocompatible scaffolds with improved biomechanical properties. To this end, we have developed foam scaffolds from poly-epsilon-caprolactone (PCL) with incorporated chitosan microparticles. The scaffolds were prepared by a salt leaching technique from either 10 or 15 wt% PCL solutions containing 0, 10 and 20 wt% chitosan microparticles, where the same amount and size of NaCl was used as a porogen in all the cases. PCL scaffolds without and with low amounts of chitosan (0 and 10 wt% chitosan) showed higher DNA content than scaffolds with high amounts of chitosan during a 22-day experiment. 10 wt% PCL with 10 and 20 wt% chitosan showed significantly increased viscoelastic properties compared to 15 wt% PCL scaffolds with 0 and 10 wt% chitosan. Thus, 10 wt% PCL scaffolds with 0 wt% and 10 wt% chitosan are potential scaffolds for cartilage regeneration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biocompatible Materials / administration & dosage*
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry
  • Cartilage / cytology
  • Cartilage / physiology*
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / physiology
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / physiology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Guided Tissue Regeneration / methods*
  • Humans
  • Microspheres*
  • Polyesters / administration & dosage*
  • Polyesters / chemistry
  • Tissue Scaffolds*

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Polyesters
  • polycaprolactone