Properties and in vitro biological evaluation of nano-hydroxyapatite/chitosan membranes for bone guided regeneration

Nano-hydroxyapatite(n-HA)/chitosan(CS) composite membranes were prepared by solvent casting and evaporation methods for the function of guided bone regeneration (GBR). The effect of n-HA content and solvent evaporation temperature on the properties of the composite membranes was studied. The n-HA/CS membranes were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, swelling measurement, mechanical test, cell culture and MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenylte-2H-tetrazolium bromide) assay. The results show that the surface roughness and micropores of the composite membranes increase with the rise of n-HA content, suitable for adhesion, crawl and growth of cells. The hydroxyapatite holds nano size and distributes uniformly in the composite membranes. Chemical bond interaction exists between Ca ions and –OH groups of n-HA and –NH2 or –OH groups of CS. The n-HA content and solvent evaporation temperature have obvious influence on the swelling ratio, tensile strength and elongation rate of the composite membranes. Cell culture and MTT assays show that n-HA and its content can affect the proliferation of cells. The n-HA/CS composite membranes have no negative effect on the cell morphology, viability and proliferation and possess good biocompatibility. This study makes the n-HA/CS composite membrane be a prospective biodegradable GBR membrane for future applications.