title: Carrageenan-based hydrogels for the controlled delivery of PDGF-BB in bone tissue engineering applications.
abstract: One of the major drawbacks found in most bone tissue engineering approaches developed so far consists in the lack of strategies to promote vascularisation. Some studies have addressed different issues that may enhance vascularisation in tissue engineered constructs, most of them involving the use of growth factors (GFs) that are involved in the restitution of the vascularity in a damaged zone. The use of sustained delivery systems might also play an important role in the re-establishment of angiogenesis. In this study, kappa-carrageenan, a naturally occurring polymer, was used to develop hydrogel beads with the ability to incorporate GFs with the purpose of establishing an effective angiogenesis mechanism. Some processing parameters were studied and their influence on the final bead properties was evaluated. Platelet derived growth factor (PDGF-BB) was selected as the angiogenic factor to incorporate in the developed beads, and the results demonstrate the achievement of an efficient encapsulation and controlled release profile matching those usually required for the development of a fully functional vascular network. In general, the obtained results demonstrate the potential of these systems for bone tissue engineering applications.
authors.affiliation: 3B's Research Group - Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Taipas, Guimaraes, Portugal. v.espirito.santo@dep.uminho.pt
authors.forename: Vítor Espírito
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Santo
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Frias
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carida
authors.forename: Ranieri
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cancedda
authors.forename: Manuela E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: João F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Mano
authors.forename: Rui L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Reis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000077214:Becaplermin; D001842:Bone and Bones; D002351:Carrageenan; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D020100:Hydrogels; D051379:Mice; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D023822:Tissue Engineering
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D020100:Hydrogels; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D000077214:Becaplermin; D002351:Carrageenan