title: [Research progresses on degradation mechanism in vivo and medical applications of polylactic acid].
abstract: Polylactic acid (PLA), a kind of aliphatic polyester, is a biodegradable polymer with outstanding biocompatibility. The degradation of PLA is a complex process involving four main phenomena, namely water absorption, ester cleavage, diffusion of soluble oligomers, and solubilization of fragments. This paper emphasizes on the following aspects: 1) present understanding of the hydrolytic degradation and enzymatic degradation of PLA and autocatalystic degradation mechanism in the bulk PLA; 2) main factors influencing PLA degradation; 3) biological results; 4) the development in application of PLA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science & Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: C X
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Wan
mesh_terms: D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D004798:Enzymes; D006868:Hydrolysis; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004798:Enzymes; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide)