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Abstract
Chitosan is reported as an accelerator of wound healing. Histological findings of
previous reports indicate that chitosan accelerates the reformation of connective
tissue, however the details of the mechanism are not clear. In this study, firstly
L929 mouse fibroblasts were cultured with chitosan and the production of extracellular
matrix (ECM) was evaluated in vitro. Type I and III collagens and fibronectin were
secreted by L929 with or without chitosan; however there was no significant difference
in the amount of ECM between the control and the chitosan groups. Secondly, macrophages
were stimulated with chitosan, and then transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta1)
and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expressions
and production of their proteins were assayed in vitro. As a result, chitosan promoted
the production of TGF-beta1 and PDGF. These results indicate that chitosan does not
directly accelerate ECM production by fibroblast and the ECM production may increase
by the growth factors.