PROMOTION OF CALCIFICATION ON CARBOXYMETHYLCHITIN DISCS

A series of water-insoluble carboxymethylchitin (CM-chitin) discs of v arying degrees of substitution (d.s.) has been investigated for their interaction with calcium phosphate. Discs of d.s. 0.03, 0.11, 0.14 and 0.23 were prepared by casting from solutions of CM-chitin in 90% form ic acid. Calcium uptake and calcium phosphate nucleation were found to increase with the degree of substitution of the CM-chitin discs. The results suggest that water-insoluble CM-chitin may be useful as a plat form for in vivo calcification. (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Limited.