Cell adhesion and tissue response to hydroxyapatite nanocrystal-coated poly(L-lactic acid) fabric

Cell adhesion and tissue response to poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) fabric coated with nanosized hydroxyapatite (HAp) crystals were studied. The HAp nanocrystals were prepared by the wet chemical process followed by calcination at 800 degrees C with an anti-sintering agent to prevent calcination-induced sintering. After the PLLA fabric was hydrolyzed with an alkaline aqueous solution, the HAp nanocrystals were coated via ionic interaction between the calcium ions on the HAp and the carboxyl groups on the alkali-treated PLLA. The PLLA surface uniformly coated with the HAp nanocrystals was observed by scanning electron microscope. The ionic interaction between the HAp and the PLLA was estimated by FT-IR. Improved cell adhesion to the HAp nanocrystal-coated surface was demonstrated by in vitro testing using a mouse fibroblast cell line L929. Furthermore, reduced inflammatory response to the HAp nanocrystal-coated PLLA fabric (as compared with a non-treated one) was confirmed by a subcutaneous implantation test with rats. Thus the HAp nanocrystal-coated PLLA developed has possible efficacy as an implant material in the fields of general and orthopedic surgery, and as a cell scaffold in tissue engineering.