title: Epoxy-amine synthesised hydrogel scaffolds for soft-tissue engineering.
abstract: Highly porous and biodegradable hydrogels based on poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and cystamine (Cys) were fabricated using epoxy-amine chemistry and investigated as scaffolds for soft-tissue engineering. Whereas the application of fused-salt templates provided a comprehensive interconnecting pore morphology, the incorporation of a specially designed poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) cross-linker provided enhanced mechanical function without adversely effecting the scaffolds positive biological interactions. The addition of only 1.2 wt% of the PCL cross-linker was sufficient to provide improvements in the ultimate stress of 30-40%. In vitro studies not only confirmed the non-cytotoxic nature of the scaffolds, but also their degradation products, which were isolated and characterised by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI ToF MS). In vivo trials were conducted over a period of 8 weeks through implantation of the scaffolds into the dorsal region of rats. At both 2 and 8 week time points the explants revealed complete infiltration by the surrounding tissue and the development of a vascular network to support the newly generated tissue, without an excessive foreign-body response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Zuratul A A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Hamid
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blencowe
authors.forename: Berkay
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ozcelik
authors.forename: Jason A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: Geoffrey W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: Keren M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Abberton
authors.forename: Wayne A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Penington
authors.forename: Greg G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Qiao
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000588:Amines / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival; D003538:Cystamine / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D016062:Porosity; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000588:Amines; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D020100:Hydrogels; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D003538:Cystamine