Improved thermostability and cytocompatibility of bacterial cellulose/collagen composite by collagen fibrillogenesis

Abstract

Composite bacterial cellulose (BC) membranes containing collagen fibrils or collagen monomers (named BC/Col-fibre or BC/Col, respectively) were fabricated by immersing macroporous BC in a 3.0 mg/mL collagen solution for 50 h at 4 °C with or without collagen fibrillogenesis before lyophilization. The structure of the membranes was characterized by scanning electron microscope, nitrogen adsorption–desorption experiment, and X-ray diffraction. The structure became much more compact upon the introduction of collagen but the crystal structure of BC did not change. The thermal stability and the cytocompatibility of the membranes were evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis and a cell adhesion assay, respectively. The thermal stability of BC was enhanced by collagen incorporation and by fibrillogenesis. The adhesive ability and the proliferation of NIH/3 T3 fibroblast cells in BC/Col-fibre were better than that in BC/Col, which was still superior to that in BC. Bacterial cellulose/collagen composite membranes (BC/Col) with and without collagen fibrils were fabricated. The collagen amount was improved to 12% by immersing the macroporous BC in a 3.0 mg/mL collagen solution for 50 h at 4 °C. The collagen fibrils interpenetrated with the BC nanofiber networks to improve the thermostability and the cytocompatibility of BC/Col.