Evaluation of chitosan/poly (vinyl alcohol) nano-composite biocompatibility for neural cells proliferation

Tissue engineering is an (interdisciplinary field that applies polymeric scaffolds to control tissue formation in three-dinemtion (3D). The scaffold provides the microenvironment (synthetic temporary extracellular matrix) for regenerative cells, supporting cell attachment, proliferation, differentiation, and neo tissue genesis due to their suitable chemical, physical and biological structures. In this study, chitosan/poly (vinyl alcohol) (CS/PVA) was exploited as scaffold for nerve regeneration. Electrospinning was used to fabricate CS/PVA nanocomposites for U373 cells seeding and proliferation. Electrospinning is a versatile and simple method to fabricate non-woven thin layer fibers from polymeric solutions. Consequently, the biocompatibility of CS/PVA nanocomposite was evaluated using biological assays and cell attachment study. Results indicated that CS/PVA nanocomposites with 15/85 proportion shown an almost homogenous network of the electrospun fibers and confirmed that they can be knitted in meshes and improve U373 cells proliferation and cell attachment. The nano-sized CS/PVA scaffolds are nontoxic and biocompatible which can promote proliferation of U373 cells and their appropriate adhesion to nanocomposite for improved peripheral nerve regeneration.