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Characterization of Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Chitosan Hydrogels as Vascular Tissue Engineering Scaffolds |
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| Authors: | Nihal Engin Vrana Yurong Liu Garret Brian McGuinness Paul Aidan Cahill |
| Affiliation: | 1. Dublin City University, Materials Processing Research Centre, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Dublin, Ireland Dublin City University, Vascular Health Research Centre, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Dublin, Ireland;2. Dublin City University, Materials Processing Research Centre, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Dublin, Ireland;3. Dublin City University, Vascular Health Research Centre, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Dublin, Ireland |
| Abstract: | In this study, PVA/Chitosan hydrogels were fabricated by freeze/thaw cycles and further crosslinking with a KOH/Na2SO4 coagulation bath and the effect of freeze/thaw cycle number on cell behaviour was evaluated. The surface of the hydrogels were further modified with Collagen type I adsorption and seeded with bovine aortic vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells. Increasing the number of freeze/thaw cycles resulted in a marked change in surface morphology, hydrophilicity and protein adsorption. Collagen coating caused an increase in initial attachment and proliferation. We concluded that hydrogels that have undergone 3 freeze/thaw cycles were optimum for cell attachment both in the presence and the absence of coating. |
| Keywords: | chitosan freeze/thaw hydrogel PVA tissue engineering |