To investigate the biological performance of a novel material called carbon nanotubes enhanced chitosan/collagen composite.
Methods:
Carbon nanotubes enhanced chitosan/collagen composite was prefabricated and its biocompatibility analysis was carried out according to the national standard criteria of GB/16886 for medical implanted materials, biology and animal trial, including tests on in vitro cytotoxicity, intracutaneous reactivity, acute systemic toxicity and pyrogenicity test. The effects of this novel material on L929 cell attachment, proliferation were also evaluated in vitro. Morphology of L929 cells cultured on carbon nanotubes enhanced chitosan/collagen composite were studied by scanning electron microscopy and confocal microscopy. And chitosan/collagen composite served as controls.
Results:
The carbon nanotubes enhanced composite had a weakly detectable cytotoxicity according to GB/T 16886. The results also demonstrated that the composite had no apparent acute systemic toxicity reaction in vivo, and there was no obvious intracutaneous reactivity and pyrogenicity. The attachment and spreading of L929 cells on carbon nanotubes enhanced composite were enhanced as compared with the control chitosan/collagen composite(p<0.05).
Conclusions:
Carbon nanotubes enhanced chitosan/collagen composite had better biological performance than that of the chitosan/collagen composite. It could promote the attachment and spreading of L929 cells. These results suggested that the material could be a potential option for tissue engineering applications.