Full Length ArticleNanoengineered porous chitosan/CaTiO3 hybrid scaffolds for accelerating Schwann cells growth in peripheral nerve regeneration

- The porous CS/CaTiO3 hybrid scaffolds are prepared for peripheral nerve regeneration.
- The CaTiO3 nanoparticles could be successfully hybridized into the chitosan scaffolds.
- CS/CaTiO3 scaffolds could obviously improve the growth of Schwann cells.
- The study shows potential significance for application of artificial nerve implants in future.

To further improve the property of promoting peripheral nerve regeneration of chitosan materials, CaTiO3 nanoparticles with various concentrations were synthesized in chitosan (CS) solution and formed to porous CS/CaTiO3 hybrid scaffolds. The properties including morphology, wettability, porosity, crystallization intensity and surface charges were characterized, respectively. The influence of the porous CS/CaTiO3 hybrid scaffolds on Schwann cells growth was evaluated. The results showed that the CaTiO3 hybridized CS scaffolds possessed homogeneous nanoparticles distribution with concentration-dependent effect. The hybridization of CaTiO3 nanoparticles could increase the hydrophobicity while reduce the porosity and surface charge density of the porous CS/CaTiO3 hybrid scaffolds The crystal structure of the hybridized scaffolds was mainly the orthorhombic structure of the calcium titanate accompanied by the amorphous phase of chitosan. Culture of Schwann cells indicated that the CS/CaTiO3 hybrid scaffolds with a suitable concentration of CaTiO3 nanoparticles could obviously promote the attachment, proliferation and biological function maintenance of Schwann cells, thus showing potentially great significance towards application in peripheral nerve regeneration.

The preparation of CS/CaTiO3 hybrid scaffolds and Schwann cells proliferation in pure CS scaffolds and CaTiO3 hybridized scaffolds by SEM316