Abstract
Chitosan is a deacetylated polysaccharide from chitin, the natural biopolymer primarily found in shells of marine crustaceans and fungi cell walls. Upon deacetylation, the protonation of free amino groups of the d-glucosamine residues of chitosan turns it into a polycation, which can easily interact with DNA, proteins, lipids, or negatively charged synthetic polymers. This positive-charged characteristic of chitosan not only increases its solubility, biodegradability, and biocompatibility, but also directly contributes to the muco-adhesion, hemostasis, and antimicrobial properties of chitosan. Combined with its low-cost and economic nature, chitosan has been extensively studied and widely used in biopharmaceutical and biomedical applications for several decades. In this review, we summarize the current chitosan-based applications for bone and dental engineering. Combining chitosan-based scaffolds with other nature or synthetic polymers and biomaterials induces their mechanical properties and bioactivities, as well as promoting osteogenesis. Incorporating the bioactive molecules into these biocomposite scaffolds accelerates new bone regeneration and enhances neovascularization in vivo.
Highlights
IntroductionThe first bioerodable artificial polymer-cell scaffold was implanted into animals 30 years ago [1]
The first bioerodable artificial polymer-cell scaffold was implanted into animals 30 years ago [1].Since tissue engineering has become an interdisciplinary field that applies the principles of engineering and life sciences toward the development of biological substitutes that restore, maintain, or improve tissue structure and function [2]
Several biomaterials have been used for the fabrication of the scaffolds, including natural materials derived from animals or plants and synthetic materials, such as bioactive ceramics and a wide range of synthetic polymers
Summary
The first bioerodable artificial polymer-cell scaffold was implanted into animals 30 years ago [1]. Tissue engineering has become an interdisciplinary field that applies the principles of engineering and life sciences toward the development of biological substitutes that restore, maintain, or improve tissue structure and function [2]. Several biomaterials have been used for the fabrication of the scaffolds, including natural materials derived from animals or plants (collagen, starch, gelatin, alginate, cellulose, fibrin, hyaluronan, and chitosan) and synthetic materials, such as bioactive ceramics and a wide range of synthetic polymers. The immunomodulatory biological effects of chitosan-based scaffold have been described. In this regard, chitosan becomes one of the most commonly studied polymers in the scientific. Molecules 2019, 24, 3009 research, for biopharmaceutical and biomedical applications, and for food science and technology [5]
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