title: Preparation and characterization of chitosan-heparin composite matrices for blood contacting tissue engineering.
abstract: Chitosan has been widely used for biomaterial scaffolds in tissue engineering because of its good mechanical properties and cytocompatibility. However, the poor blood compatibility of chitosan has greatly limited its biomedical utilization, especially for blood contacting tissue engineering. In this study, we exploited a polymer blending procedure to heparinize the chitosan material under simple and mild conditions to improve its antithrombogenic property. By an optimized procedure, a macroscopically homogeneous chitosan-heparin (Chi-Hep) blended suspension was obtained, with which Chi-Hep composite films and porous scaffolds were fabricated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and sulfur elemental analysis confirmed the successful immobilization of heparin in the composite matrices (i.e. films and porous scaffolds). Toluidine blue staining indicated that heparin was distributed homogeneously in the composite matrices. Only a small amount of heparin was released from the matrices during incubation in normal saline for 10 days. The composite matrices showed improved blood compatibility, as well as good mechanical properties and endothelial cell compatibility. These results suggest that the Chi-Hep composite matrices are promising candidates for blood contacting tissue engineering.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science, State Key Lab of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ao
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Lihai
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Yandao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Xiufang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D001769:Blood; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000166:cytology; D002460:Cell Line; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry; D006493:Heparin / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008420:Manufactured Materials; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008970:Molecular Weight; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D016062:Porosity; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry; D013455:Sulfur / Q000032:analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011108:Polymers; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D013455:Sulfur; D006493:Heparin; D048271:Chitosan