Reductively Degradable Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) Hydrogels with Oriented Porosity for Tissue Engineering
Hana Macková1, Zdeněk Plichta1, Helena Hlídková1
1Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Heyrovsky Sq. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|March 14, 2017
Summary
New degradable hydrogels made from poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (HEMA) and other components offer a promising scaffold for human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). These biocompatible materials show no cytotoxicity and degrade within 86 days.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Development of advanced hydrogel materials is crucial for biomedical applications, particularly in regenerative medicine.
- Existing hydrogels often lack controlled degradability and specific structural features required for cell support.
- Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (HEMA) based copolymers offer tunable properties for biomaterial design.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize reductively degradable poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-2-(acethylthio)ethyl methacrylate-co-2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) [P(HEMA-ATEMA-MPC)] hydrogels.
- To create hydrogels with oriented porosity suitable for supporting human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).
- To evaluate the degradation profile and cytocompatibility of the synthesized hydrogels.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of a linear copolymer P(HEMA-ATEMA-MPC) with disulfide linkages.
- Formation of a 3D hydrogel structure with oriented porosity using sodium acetate crystals as templates.
- Characterization of hydrogel porosity and degradation kinetics using Hg porosimetry and l-cysteine solutions.
- Cytotoxicity assessment of hydrogel components with human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).
Main Results:
- Reductively degradable P(HEMA-ATEMA-MPC) hydrogels with controlled pore diameters (59-65 μm) and porosity (70-79.6 vol %) were successfully prepared.
- Complete degradation of the hydrogels was achieved in 86 days in a phosphate buffer containing l-cysteine.
- No cytotoxicity was observed for the un-cross-linked thiol-containing and protected P(HEMA-ATEMA-MPC) chains against MSCs at tested concentrations.
Conclusions:
- The synthesized P(HEMA-ATEMA-MPC) hydrogels exhibit tunable degradation and structural properties.
- These hydrogels demonstrate excellent biocompatibility and are suitable as a scaffold for human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).
- The study presents a novel approach for creating degradable, porous hydrogels for tissue engineering applications.
