title: Fabrication and characterization of hydrophilic poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/poly(vinyl alcohol) blend cell scaffolds by melt-molding particulate-leaching method.
abstract: Porous PLGA/PVA scaffolds were fabricated by blending poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to improve the hydrophilicity and cell compatibility of the scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. PLGA/PVA blend scaffolds with different PVA compositions up to 20wt% were fabricated by a melt-molding particulate-leaching method (non-solvent method). The prepared scaffolds were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mercury intrusion porosimetry, the measurements of water contact angles and bi-axial tensile strengths, etc. for their surface and bulk characterizations. The scaffolds exhibited highly porous and open-cellular pore structures with almost same surface and interior porosities (pore size, 200-300 microm; porosity, about 90%). The PLGA/PVA blend scaffolds with PVA compositions more than 5% were easily wetted in cell culture medium without any prewetting treatments, which is highly desirable for tissue engineering applications. In vitro cell compatibility of the control hydrophobic PLGA and hydrophilized PLGA/PVA (5wt%) blend scaffolds was compared by the culture of human chondrocytes in the scaffolds and the following analyses by MTT assay and SEM observation. It was observed that the PLGA/PVA blend scaffold had better cell adhesion and growth than the control PLGA scaffold. For in vivo evaluation of tissue compatibility, the scaffolds were implanted into the skull defects of rabbits. The results were evaluated by histology examinations. The PLGA/PVA (5wt%) blend scaffold showed better bone ingrowth into the scaffold and new bone formation inside the scaffold than the PLGA scaffold. It seems that 5% addition of PVA to PLGA to fabricate PLGA/PVA blend scaffolds is enough for improving the hydrophilicity and cell compatibility of the scaffolds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Hannam University, 133 Ojeong Dong, Daedeog Gu, Daejeon 306-791, South Korea.
authors.forename: Se Heang
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Soung Gon
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Eun Seok
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Jin Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006016:Glycolates / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol / Q000737:chemistry*; D011817:Rabbits; D013499:Surface Properties; D013718:Tensile Strength; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts / Q000494:pharmacology; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D023822:Tissue Engineering
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D006016:Glycolates; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol; C022616:thiazolyl blue