This study evaluates the suitability of a macroporous three-dimensional chitosan/hydroxyapatite (CS/HA) composite as a bone tissue engineering scaffold using MC3T3-E1 cells. The CS/HA scaffold was produced by freeze-drying, and characterized by means of SEM and FTIR. In vitro findings demonstrated that CS/HA supported attachment and proliferation of cells, and stimulated extracellular matrix (ECM) production. Tissue biocompatibility and osteogenic capacity of the cell-laden constructs were evaluated in an ectopic Wistar rat model. In vivo results showed that the MC3T3-E1 cell-laden CS/HA was essentially histocompatible, promoted neovascularization and calcified matrix formation, and secreted osteoblast-specific protein. We conclude that the composite scaffold evaluated has potential for applications in bone regeneration.
Animals Bone Regeneration