Incorporation of chondroitin sulfate into macroporous bacterial cellulose scaffold for improved bioactivity

Lack of bioactivity limits the applications of bacterial cellulose (BC) in biomedical fields. In this study, we report the facile preparation of a macroporous BC (PBC)/chondroitin sulfate (CS) scaffold using the ex situ method by adding CS solution into the suspension of BC fragments followed by crosslinking with 1-ethyl-3(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) and freeze drying. The PBC/CS scaffold was characterized for morphology, physicochemical properties, cell behavior, and capability of inducing mineral deposition. Results show that the PBC/CS scaffold presents improved mechanical properties, cell adhesion, and proliferation over the PBC scaffold. Moreover, the presence of CS greatly enhances the deposition of minerals on the PBC/CS scaffold, an indicator of bioactivity. The present study provides a simple methodology for improving the bioactivity of BC and the results of the present work suggest that the PBC/CS scaffold has potential for use in bone tissue engineering. Graphical Abstract