Immobilization of Heparin to Galactosylated Chitosan as a Synthetic Extracellular Matrix for Liver Tissue Engineering

Galactose moiety was covalently coupled with chitosan to improve hepatocyte adhesion and heparin was immobilized to the galactosylated chitosan (GC) to enhancing hepatocyte function. Hepatocyte adhesion to heparin immobilized GC (GCH)-casted polystyrene (PS) dish was higher than that to chitosan-casted PS dish although it was slightly lower than GC-casted PS dish owing to the hydrated GCH-casted PS dish. Spreading of hepatocytes attached onto GCH-casted PS dish was increased with an increase of heparin for the GCH in the presence of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Also, DNA synthesis of the hepatocyte adhered to GCH-casted PS dish was increased with an increase of heparin in the GCH. Higher levels of albumin secretion were maintained on the GCH-casted PS dish than chitosan- or GC-casted PS dishes.