Attachment and growth of cultured fibroblast cells on PVA/chitosan-blended hydrogels

Hydrogels were prepared from poly(vinyl alcohol) and chitosan in various blend ratios. The water contents of the hydrogels were in the range of 65 to 75 wt %. The attachment and growth of fibroblast cells (L-929) on the hydrogels were studied with a cell culture method. On the hydrogels with more than 15 wt % chitosan content, the attached cells were able not only to remain viable but also to proliferate. The relative cell attachment after incubation for 30 h increased with increasing chitosan content in the hydrogels. Cell attachment and growth on the hydrogel with 40 wt % chitosan content exceeded those on collagen, a widely-used mammalian cell culture substrate. The morphology of the cells attached onto the hydrogels with a lower chitosan content was spherical, but in hydrogels with more than 15 wt % chitosan content, the number of spindle-shaped cells increased with increasing chitosan content.