title: Enhanced cell affinity of chitosan membranes mediated by superficial cross-linking: a straightforward method attainable by standard laboratory procedures.
abstract: It is well accepted that the surface modification of biomaterials can improve their biocompatibility. In this context, techniques like ion etching, plasma-mediated chemical functionalization, electrospinning, and contact microprinting have successfully been employed to promote the cell adhesion and proliferation of chitosan (CH) substrates. However, they prove to be time-consuming, highly dependent on environmental conditions, and/or limited to the use of expensive materials and sophisticated instruments not accessible to standard laboratories, hindering to a high extent their straightforward application. Filling this gap, this paper proposes the superficial cross-linking of CH as a much simpler and accessible means to modify its superficial properties in order to enhance its cellular affinity. CH membranes were prepared by solvent casting followed by a cross-linking step mediated by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of glutaraldehyde (GA). The membranes were characterized against non- and solution cross-linked membranes in terms of their mechanical/surface properties and biological performance. Among others, the CVD membranes proved (i) to be more mechanically stable against cell culture and sterilization than membranes cross-linked in solution and (ii) to prompt the adherence and sustained proliferation of healthy cells to levels even superior to commercial tissue culture plates (TCPs). Accordingly, the CVD cross-linking approach was demonstrated to be a simple and cost-effective alternative to the aforementioned conventional methods. Interestingly, this concept can also be applied to other biomaterials as long as GA (or other volatile components alike) can be employed as a cross-linker, making possible the cross-linking reaction at mild experimental conditions, neither requiring sophisticated lab implements nor using any potentially harmful procedure.
authors: Departamento de Estomatología, Facultad de Odontología, ‡Instituto de Ortopedia y Banco de Tejidos Musculoesqueléticos, §Grupo de Física de Coloides y Polímeros, Departamento de Física de Materia Condensada, Facultad de Física, #Oral Sciences Research Group, Departamento de Estomatología, Facultad de Odontología, and ○Unidade de Tratamento de Deformidades Dentofaciais-Máster en Ortodoncia, Departamento de Estomatología, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela , Campus Sur S/N, E-15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors: Eustolia
authors: E
authors: Rodríguez-Velázquez
authors: Maite
authors: M
authors: Silva
authors: Pablo
authors: P
authors: Taboada
authors: João F
authors: JF
authors: Mano
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Suárez-Quintanilla
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: Alatorre-Meda
mesh_terms: D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D048271:Chitosan