The effect of amidic moieties on polysaccharides: evaluation of the physico-chemical and biological properties of amidic carboxymethylcellulose (CMCA) in the form of linear polymer and hydrogel

A new derivative of carboxymethylcellulose was synthesised by converting some of the carboxylic groups into amidic moieties (CMCA). The synthetic procedure allowed for a good control of the degree of substitution. The new polysaccharide was characterised in terms of physico-chemical properties and biocompatibility. It was also used for the realisation of a hydrogel, and its physicochemical behaviour, such as water uptake and rheological parameters, were evaluated. The new CMCA hydrogel showed physico-chemical properties closer to those of Hyaluronan (Hyal) rather than native carboxymethylcellulose (CMC). Hydrogel cytotoxicity and biological activity were then comparatively investigated on osteoblast-like cells, taking into consideration the possible application of the hydrogel as a cell scaffold in orthopaedic tissue engineering. Finally, the effectiveness of cellular scaffolds for beta-pancreatic islet cells was also studied.