Preliminary in vitro evaluation of chitosan�graphene oxide scaffolds on osteoblastic adhesion, proliferation, and early differentiation

• Main Authors: Wong, S.H.M., Lim, S.S., Tiong, T.J., Show, P.L., Zaid, H.F.M., Loh, H.-S.
• Format: Article
• Published: MDPI AG 2020
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85088304192&doi=10.3390%2fijms21155202&partnerID=40&md5=05773e178cca9c811be4904222404b91; http://eprints.utp.edu.my/30106/

An ideal scaffold should be biocompatible, having appropriate microstructure, excellent mechanical strength yet degrades. Chitosan exhibits most of these exceptional properties, but it is always associated with sub-optimal cytocompatibility. This study aimed to incorporate graphene oxide at wt of 0, 2, 4, and 6 into chitosan matrix via direct blending of chitosan solution and graphene oxide, freezing, and freeze drying. Cell fixation, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide, alkaline phosphatase colorimetric assays were conducted to assess cell adhesion, proliferation, and early differentiation of MG63 on chitosan�graphene oxide scaffolds respectively. The presence of alkaline phosphatase, an early osteoblast differentiation marker, was further detected in chitosan�graphene oxide scaffolds using western blot. These results strongly supported that chitosan scaffolds loaded with graphene oxide at 2 wt mediated cell adhesion, proliferation, and early differentiation due to the presence of oxygen-containing functional groups of graphene oxide. Therefore, chitosan scaffolds loaded with graphene oxide at 2 wt showed the potential to be developed into functional bone scaffolds. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.