Preparation and evaluation of ammonia-treated collagen/chitosan matrices for liver tissue engineering.
To further enhance the properties of existing collagen/chitosan scaffolds for liver tissue engineering, a very simple method was developed to form noncovalently linked mimic of the liver extracellular matrices. Collagen/chitosan mixtures in various proportions (i.e., 1:0, 3:2, 1:1, 2:3, and 0:1 v/v) were lyophilized or evaporated to form sponges or flat films before they were gelled using an aqueous 25% ammonia solution. The porosities of the obtained sponges were above 90% with various pore sizes. The highest mechanical strength (1.9+/-0.7 MPa) and the lowest degradation time (65+/-1.7 days) were achieved by the collagen/chitosan (1:1) matrices. Hepatocytes cultured on the collagen/chitosan (1:1) matrices exhibited relatively high glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase and glucose secretion functions 25 days post-seeding. Nuclues of the hepatocytes were more elongated and arranged in certain directions on the 1:1 matrices. The cytocompatibility and enhanced biostability of our new ammonia-treated collagen/chitosan matrices suggest that they could be used as scaffolds for liver tissue engineering.
Wang
Xiaohong
X
Center of Organism Manufacturing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, People's Republic of China.
Yan
Yongnian
Y
Xiong
Zhuo
Z
Lin
Feng
F
Wu
Rendong
R
Zhang
Renji
R
Lu
Qingping
Q
D000588:Amines / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D019164:Liver, Artificial; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D016062:Porosity; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry
D000588:Amines; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D014867:Water; D003094:Collagen; D048271:Chitosan