title: Acrylic scaffolds with interconnected spherical pores and controlled hydrophilicity for tissue engineering.
abstract: Polymer scaffolds are obtained in which the geometric characteristics (pore size, connectivity, porosity) and the physico-chemical properties of the resulting material can be controlled in an independent way. The interconnected porous structure was obtained using a template of sintered PMMA microspheres of controlled size. Copolymerization of hydrophobic ethyl acrylate and hydrophilic hydroxyethyl methacrylate comonomers took place in the free space of the template, different comonomer ratio gave rise to different hydrophilicity degrees of the material keeping the same pore architecture. The morphology of the resulting scaffolds was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the porosity of the material calculated, and the mechanical properties compared with those of the bulk (non porous) material of the same composition.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biomaterials, Universidad Polité cnica de Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: R Brígido
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Diego
authors.forename: M Pérez
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Olmedilla
authors.forename: A Serrano
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Aroca
authors.forename: J L Gómez
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ribelles
authors.forename: M Monleón
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Pradas
authors.forename: G Gallego
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.forename: M Salmerón
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sánchez
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008422:Materials Testing; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D008863:Microspheres; D010316:Particle Size; D011102:Polyhydroxyethyl Methacrylate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D016062:Porosity; D013499:Surface Properties; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D008689:Methacrylates; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids; D014867:Water; D011102:Polyhydroxyethyl Methacrylate; C047731:hydroxyethyl methacrylate-ethyl methacrylate; C004919:ethylene dimethacrylate