Influence of modified polyester on the material properties of collagen-based biocomposites and in vitro evaluation of cytocompatibility

• Composites were prepared using polyester and collagen to explore their cytocompatibility.
• The mechanical properties of the composite were significantly enhanced by the use of grafted polyester and collagen.
• The polyester and collagen composites facilitated excellent cell viability and collagen production.
• The cell cycle was not affected by DNA content related to damage, and it did not lead to rapid apoptosis or necrosis of the cells by the composite.

The cytocompatibility of composite materials collagen (Col)/poly(hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA) and collagen/maleic anhydride-grafted PHA (PHA-g-MA) was investigated in this study. Col was homogeneously dispersed in the PHA-g-MA matrix as a result of condensation reactions. Mechanical characterisation indicated that the improved adhesion between Col and PHA-g-MA enhanced the tensile strength of the composite compared with that of PHA/Col. PHA-g-MA/Col composites were also more water-resistant than PHA/Col composites. Collagen and cell proliferation analysis indicated that PHA and PHA-g-MA and their composites were biocompatible with respect to FB proliferation. Cell-cycle and apoptosis assays by FBs on the PHA series composite samples were not affected by DNA content related to damage, i.e. rapid apoptosis/necrosis was not observed, demonstrating the potential of PHA/Col or PHA-g-MA/Col membranes for biomedical material applications.

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