Polyhydroxybutyrate/chitosan/calcium phosphate composites are interesting biomaterials for utilization in regenerative medicine and they may by applied in reconstruction of deeper subchondral defects. Insufficient informations were found in recent papers about the influence of lysozyme degradation of chitosan in calcium phosphate/chitosan based composites on in vitro cytotoxicity and proliferation activity of osteoblasts. The effect of enzymatic chitosan degradation on osteoblasts proliferation was studied on composite films in which the porosity of origin 3D scaffolds was eliminated and the surface texture was modified. The significantly enhanced proliferation activity with faster population growth of osteoblasts were found on enzymatically degraded biopolymer composite films with α-tricalcium phosphate and nanohydroxyapatite. No cytotoxicity of composite films prepared from lysozyme degraded scaffolds containing a large fraction of low molecular weight chitosans (LMWC), was revealed after 10 days of cultivation. Contrary to above in the higher cytotoxicity origin untreated nanohydroxyapatite films and porous composite scaffolds. The results showed that the synergistic effect of surface distribution, morphology of nanohydroxyapatite particles, microtopography and the presence of LMWC due to chitosan degradation in composite films were responsible for compensation of the cytotoxicity of nanohydroxyapatite composite films or porous composite scaffolds.
Novel calcium phosphate cements containing a mixture of four amino acids, glycine, proline, hydroxyproline and either lysine or arginine (CAL, CAK) were characterized and used for treatment of artificial osteochondral defects in knee. It was hypothesized that an enhanced concentration of extracellular collagen amino acids (in complex mixture), in connection with bone cement in defect sites, would support the healing of osteochondral defects with successful formation of hyaline cartilage and subchondral bone. Calcium phosphate cement mixtures were prepared by in situ reaction in a planetary ball mill at aseptic conditions and characterized. It was verified that about 30–60% of amino acids remained adsorbed on hydroxyapatite particles in cements and the addition of amino acids caused around 60% reduction in compressive strength and refinement of hydroxyapatite particles in their microstructure. The significant over-expression of osteogenic genes after the culture of osteoblasts was demonstrated in the cement extracts containing lysine and compared with other cements. The cement pastes were inserted into artificial osteochondral defects in the medial femoral condyle of pigs and, after 3 months post-surgery, tissues were analyzed macroscopically, histologically, immunohistochemically using MRI and X-ray methods. Analysis clearly showed the excellent healing process of artificial osteochondral defects in pigs after treatment with CAL and CAK cements without any inflammation, as well as formation of subchondral bone and hyaline cartilage morphologically and structurally identical to the original tissues. Good integration of the hyaline neocartilage with the surrounding tissue, as well as perfect interconnection between the neocartilage and new subchondral bone tissue, was demonstrated. Tissues were stable after 12 months’ healing.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.