Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 4, 2026

Sustained Administration of β-cell Mitogens to Intact Mouse Islets Ex Vivo Using Biodegradable Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) Microspheres
Published on: November 5, 2016
A drug eluting poly(trimethylene carbonate)/poly(lactic acid)-reinforced nanocomposite for the functional delivery of
Xi Zhang1,2, Mike A Geven3, Xinluan Wang4
1School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London, UK, j.gautrot@qmul.ac.uk.
Background:
Poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) has wide biomedical applications in the field of tissue engineering, due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability features. Its common manufacturing involves photofabrication, such as stereolithography (SLA), which allows the fabrication of complex and controlled structures. Despite the great potential of SLA-fabricated scaffolds, very few examples of PTMC-based drug delivery systems fabricated using photo-fabrication can be found ascribed to light-triggered therapeutics instability, degradation, side reaction, binding to the macromers, etc. These concerns severely restrict the development of SLA-fabricated PTMC structures for drug delivery purposes.
Methods:
In this context, we propose here, as a proof of concept, to load a drug model (dexamethasone) into electrospun fibers of poly(lactic acid), and then to integrate these bioactive fibers into the photo-crosslinkable resin of PTMC to produce hybrid films. The hybrid films' properties and drug release profile were characterized; its biological activity was investigated via bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells culture and differentiation assays.
Results:
The polymer/polymer hybrids exhibit improved properties compared with PTMC-only films, in terms of mechanical performance and drug protection from UV denaturation. We further validated that the dexamethasone preserved its biological activity even after photoreaction within the PTMC/poly(lactic acid) hybrid structures by investigating bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells proliferation and osteogenic differentiation.
Conclusion:
This study demonstrates the potential of polymer-polymer scaffolds to simultaneously reinforce the mechanical properties of soft matrices and to load sensitive drugs in scaffolds that can be fabricated via additive manufacturing.
Related Concept Videos
Bicarbonate-Carbonic Acid Buffer
Drug Delivery: Overview
Enteral delivery involves administering drugs directly through swallowing, sublingual placement, or buccal application. Orally administered drugs predominantly navigate the...
The Carbon Cycle
Carbon Skeletons
Drug Delivery: Enteral Route
Drug Delivery: Parenteral Route
There are three primary parenteral routes: intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), and subcutaneous (SC). The IV route introduces the drug directly into the bloodstream, ensuring immediate action. The IM route...

