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Enzymatically cross-linked hydrogels and their adhesive strength to biosurfaces
1Biomedical Engineering Department, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
Objectives:
To design an in-situ gelling hydrogel capable of solidifying rapidly under physiologic conditions into a hydrogel capable of adhering tissue surfaces together.
Design:
Multifunctional polymers containing covalently bound peptide substrates of transglutaminase were designed.
Experimental Variable:
Enzyme cross-linked hydrogels were compared with commercial fibrin tissue adhesive.
Outcome Measure:
The shear strength between tissue surfaces or type 1 collagen membranes bonded with hydrogel was measured.
Results:
The shear adhesive strength of transglutaminase cross-linked hydrogels was found to be equal to or better than fibrin sealant for tissue and collagen surfaces, respectively.
Conclusion:
Transglutaminase cross-linked hydrogels are injectable, in-situ formed, biodegradable, and expected to be useful in a variety of applications including sustained drug delivery, medical and dental adhesives, tissue repair and engineering as polymeric scaffolds, and gene therapy.
