Chitosan influence on osteogenesis process in polylactic acid scaffold cultured with osteoblast Searching for suitable sustitutes to autologous bone grafting had allowed the development of bioactive scaffolds using tissue engineering. Those scaffolds are 3D structures of natural and synthetic origin allowing cell and tissue growth. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of adding chitosan to bioactivated polylactic acid-scaffolds (PLA) during 15 days. Chitosan is a natural polymer with reported properties as proangiogenic and healing stimulant. This research was authorized by Animal Ethics Committee of the Universidad del Valle – Cali – Colombia.

Objectives: To evaluate the influence of chitosan on in vitro osteogenesis over bioactivated polylactic acid-scaffolds cultured with osteoblastic cells.
Methods: Porous type PLA scaffolds and PLA-chitosan scaffolds were made through leaching process, each one measuring 5 mm diameter and 1 mm thickness. Scaffolds were cultured with osteoblastic cells for 15 days in the same condictions for both scaffolds. Scaffolds were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and spectroscopy to determine the presence of extracelular matrix components. Images were compared using a image management software
Results: Using image analysis, PLA-chitosan had an unexpected increase of material compatible with osteoide (unmimeralized bone matrix) with almost complete obliteration of surface pores. Hypothesis testing was performed with the Mann.Whitney method with a statistical significance level for the type error equal or less than 0,05.
Conclusions: Incorporation of chitosan to PLA scaffolds allows greater formation of osteoid material on scaffolds surface