In Vitro Cytocompatibility and Osteoinduction of Phosphorylated Chitosan with Osteoblasts

Abstract

The cytocompatibility and osteoinduction of water-soluble phosphorylated chitosan (P-chitosan), that was modified by PO23 groups, with neonatal rat osteoblasts in vitro was studied. To identify the biocompatibility of P-chitosan with osteoblasts, the biofunctions of osteoblast cells, in the presence of three different concentrations of P-chitosan solutions as culture media and DMEM with 10% FBS as controls, were determined. The osteoblast differences in the P-chitosan solutions and on chitosan films were also investigated with immunocytochemistry. It was found, based on the ALP activity and mineralization assay that water-soluble P-chitosan has excellent cytocompatibility compared to the chitosan without phosphorylated modification. P-chitosan concentrations as high as 2% had a significant influence on cytocompatibility and osteoinduction; one tissue (or derived product) caused a second undifferentiated tissue to differentiate into bone. Water-soluble P-chitosan could be a promising osteoinductive biomaterial for tissue engineering and orthopedic uses.