Abstract
In this study, the effect of silica/calcium phosphate (SiCaP) nanocomposite particles on the properties of a novel chitosan-based thermosensitive hydrogel system was examined. SiCaP nanocomposite powder was fabricated using a sol-gel method and then used to fabricate nanocomposite hydrogels (Ch- β/7.5SiCaP and Ch-β/15SiCaP) including chitosan and β-glycerophosphate (Ch-β) as a matrix. Results revealed that compared to the Ch-β hydrogel without SiCaP, the presence of SiCaP particles in nanocomposite hydrogels maintained pH stability during the sol-gel transition, accelerated the gelation and improved the stiffness of nanocomposite hydrogels. Gelation time at 37℃ was reduced approximately 75% and stiffness was increased approximately 115%. Both of these changes are attributed to chemical and physical interactions of the SiCaP bioactive particles with chitosan. Furthermore, compared to the Ch-β hydrogel, the presence of SiCaP in the Ch-β/7.5SiCaP nanocomposite hydrogel did not affect biocompatibility negatively, but improved osteoblastic cell differentiation. Our studies suggest that these nanocomposite hydrogels may offer an innovative approach to bone regeneration strategies.
Highlights
Hydrogel is a water-insoluble, three-dimensional network of polymer chains capable of holding large amounts of water
Results revealed that compared to the chitosan and β-glycerophosphate (Ch-β) hydrogel without silica/calcium phosphate (SiCaP), the presence of SiCaP particles in nanocomposite hydrogels maintained pH stability during the sol-gel transition, accelerated the gelation and improved the stiffness of nanocomposite hydrogels
Increasing the β concentration has a negative effect on its biocompatibility as only extracts of Ch-β hydrogels with less than 10% (w/v) β display sufficient biocompatibility [2] to be useful in vivo
Summary
Hydrogel is a water-insoluble, three-dimensional network of polymer chains capable of holding large amounts of water. Hydrogels that form in situ have attracted increasing attention in recent years for their potential biomedical applications [1]. A thermogelling system including chitosan (Ch) and β-glycerophosphate (β) was first reported by Chenite et al [3] [4], prompting numerous studies on its properties and biomedical applications [1] [5]. It has been reported that Ch-β hydrogels containing 0.5% - 2% (w/v) chitosan and 5% - 20% (w/v) β display thermosensitive behavior [2]. Increasing the β concentration has a negative effect on its biocompatibility as only extracts of Ch-β hydrogels with less than 10% (w/v) β display sufficient biocompatibility [2] to be useful in vivo. Β concentration has both positive and negative effects on the final properties of Ch-β hydrogels that should be considered when developing Ch-β hydrogels for tissue regeneration applications
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