Electrospun Chitosan Functionalized with C12, C14 or C16 Tails for Blood-Contacting Medical Devices
Monica Dettin,
Martina Roso,
Grazia M. L. Messina,
Giovanna Iucci,
Valentina Peluso,
Teresa Russo,
Annj Zamuner,
Marta Santi,
Sabrina Milan Manani,
Monica Zanella,
Chiara Battocchio,
Giovanni Marletta,
Michele Modesti,
Mario Rassu,
Massimo De Cal,
Claudio Ronco
Affiliations
Monica Dettin
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy
Martina Roso
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy
Grazia M. L. Messina
Department of Chemistry, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria, 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
Giovanna Iucci
Department of Sciences, University Roma Tre, Via della Vasca Navale 79, 00146 Rome, Italy
Valentina Peluso
Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council of Italy, Viale J.F. Kennedy 54−Mostra d’Oltremare PAD. 20, 80125 Naples, Italy
Teresa Russo
Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council of Italy, Viale J.F. Kennedy 54−Mostra d’Oltremare PAD. 20, 80125 Naples, Italy
Annj Zamuner
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy
Marta Santi
Department of Sciences, University Roma Tre, Via della Vasca Navale 79, 00146 Rome, Italy
Sabrina Milan Manani
Department of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, International Renal Research Institute (IRRIV), AULSS8, San Bortolo Hospital, Viale Rodolfi 37, 36100 Vicenza, Italy
Monica Zanella
Department of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, International Renal Research Institute (IRRIV), AULSS8, San Bortolo Hospital, Viale Rodolfi 37, 36100 Vicenza, Italy
Chiara Battocchio
Department of Sciences, University Roma Tre, Via della Vasca Navale 79, 00146 Rome, Italy
Giovanni Marletta
Department of Chemistry, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria, 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
Michele Modesti
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy
Mario Rassu
Department of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, International Renal Research Institute (IRRIV), AULSS8, San Bortolo Hospital, Viale Rodolfi 37, 36100 Vicenza, Italy
Massimo De Cal
Department of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, International Renal Research Institute (IRRIV), AULSS8, San Bortolo Hospital, Viale Rodolfi 37, 36100 Vicenza, Italy
Claudio Ronco
Department of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, International Renal Research Institute (IRRIV), AULSS8, San Bortolo Hospital, Viale Rodolfi 37, 36100 Vicenza, Italy
Medical applications stimulate the need for materials with broad potential. Chitosan, the partially deacetylated derivative of chitin, offers many interesting characteristics, such as biocompatibility and chemical derivatization possibility. In the present study, porous scaffolds composed of electrospun interwoven nanometric fibers are produced using chitosan or chitosan functionalized with aliphatic chains of twelve, fourteen or sixteen methylene groups. The scaffolds were thoroughly characterized by SEM and XPS. The length of the aliphatic tail influenced the physico-chemical and dynamic mechanical properties of the functionalized chitosan. The electrospun membranes revealed no interaction of Gram+ or Gram− bacteria, resulting in neither antibacterial nor bactericidal, but constitutively sterile. The electrospun scaffolds demonstrated the absence of cytotoxicity, inflammation response, and eryptosis. These results open the door to their application for blood purification devices, hemodialysis membranes, and vascular grafts.
