Inorganic-organic polymer hybrid scaffold for tissue engineering - II: Partial enzymatic degradation of hydroxyapatite-chitosan hybrid

This article describes the preparation of porous chitosan, a hydroxyapatite hybrid, by partial enzymatic degradation. Two enzymes, chitosanase and lysozyme, were selected to hydrolyze a chitosan-reinforced matrix and create pores within the chitosan-hydroxyapatite composite. The degree of enzymatic hydrolysis of the chitosan-hydroxyapatite composite was determined by measuring the % weight loss of the chitosan matrix and the hydroxyapatite component. Hydroxyapatite loss from the chitosan matrix increased with the degree of enzymatic hydrolysis of the chitosan-reinforced matrix. After hydrolysis, the composite was further characterized by FTIR. Quantitative analysis revealed a decrease in the characteristic pyranose ring peak (1072 cm(-1)), compared with PO42- (1110 cm(-1)), showing that the chitosan matrices were enzymatically hydrolyzed. The surface of the porous chitosan-hydroxyapatite composite, prepared by controlling enzymatic hydrolysis, was also observed by SEM.