title: Biological fixation of fibrous materials to bone using chitin/chitosan as a bone formation accelerator.
abstract: Biological fixation or anchorage of fibrous materials to bone by bone ingrowth into the spaces between fibers is a major concern in developing novel medical implants, including artificial ligaments. Toward this end, we evaluated the efficacy of chitin/chitosan as a bone formation accelerator. Specimens of polyester nonwoven fabric coated with chitin/chitosan were implanted into holes drilled into the distal ends of rat femora. Uncoated fabric specimens were used as controls. At 1 or 2 weeks after implantation, the specimens were retrieved, and the fixation strength was measured by mechanical testing. Histological sections of 2-week implantation specimens were prepared, and the area of new bone tissue formed in the spaces between the fibers of the fabric was measured. The chitin/chitosan coating significantly increased the fixation strength and the area of bone tissue formed in the spaces between the fibers. The mean fixation strength of chitin/chitosan-coated fabric specimens was more than twice that of the controls at 2 weeks after implantation. These results demonstrated that the chitin/chitosan coating effectively induced bone formation in the spaces between the fibers and enhanced biological fixation of the fibrous materials to the bone.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Takeki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yasukawa
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Muneta
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takakuda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D018786:Bone Substitutes; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000473:pathology; D002686:Chitin / Q000737:chemistry*; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D049832:Decapodiformes; D005269:Femur / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D016348:Osseointegration; D010012:Osteogenesis; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D018786:Bone Substitutes; D011091:Polyesters; D002686:Chitin; D048271:Chitosan