Preparation of three-dimensional interconnected macroporous cellulosic hydrogels for soft tissue engineering.

Area of Science:

• Polymer Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Developing advanced biomaterials is crucial for tissue engineering.
• Hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) exhibits thermoresponsive properties that can be tailored.
• Creating interconnected macroporous hydrogels with suitable mechanical properties remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize 3D interconnected macroporous hydrogels from modified hydroxypropylcellulose.
• To investigate the influence of the degree of substitution (DS) on the thermoresponsive phase behavior of modified HPC.
• To evaluate the cytocompatibility and in vivo biocompatibility of the developed hydrogel scaffolds.

Main Methods:

• Hydroxypropylcellulose was modified with allyl isocyanate.
• Temperature-mediated phase behavior was studied as a function of degree of modification (DS).
• A DS 1.5 derivative was used to form biphasic systems upon warming, immobilized by gamma-ray crosslinking, followed by lyophilization to create macroporous sponges.

Main Results:

• Modified HPC with DS 1.5 exhibited tunable thermoresponsive phase behavior.
• Lyophilization of crosslinked gels produced 3D macroporous sponges with interconnected pores.
• The rehydrated gels possessed high water content, mechanical integrity suitable for soft tissues, and demonstrated cytocompatibility with various cell types.
• In vivo studies in mice showed minimal inflammatory response after 12 weeks of subcutaneous implantation.

Conclusions:

• Modified hydroxypropylcellulose can be effectively utilized to fabricate 3D interconnected macroporous hydrogels.
• These hydrogels exhibit favorable properties including biocompatibility and mechanical integrity for soft tissue applications.
• The developed macroporous hydrogels hold significant potential for use in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.