Influence of modified polyester on the material properties of collagen-based biocomposites and in vitro evaluation of cytocompatibility

The cytocompatibility of composite materials collagen (Col)/poly(hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA) and collagen/maleic anhydride-grafted PHA (PHA-g-MA) was investigated in this study. Col was homogeneously dispersed in the PHA-g-MA matrix as a result of condensation reactions. Mechanical characterisation indicated that the improved adhesion between Col and PHA-g-MA enhanced the tensile strength of the composite compared with that of PHA/Col. PHA-g-MA/Col composites were also more water-resistant than PHA/Col composites. Collagen and cell proliferation analysis indicated that PHA and PHA-g-MA and their composites were biocompatible with respect to FB proliferation. Cell-cycle and apoptosis assays by FBs on the PHA series composite samples were not affected by DNA content related to damage, i.e. rapid apoptosis/necrosis was not observed, demonstrating the potential of PHA/Col or PHA-g-MA/Col membranes for biomedical material applications.