title: Synthesis and characterization of thermally and chemically gelling injectable hydrogels for tissue engineering.
abstract: Novel, injectable hydrogels were developed that solidify through a physical and chemical dual-gelation mechanism upon preparation and elevation of temperature to 37 °C. A thermogelling, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-based macromer with pendant epoxy rings and a hydrolytically degradable polyamidoamine-based diamine cross-linker were synthesized, characterized, and combined to produce in situ forming hydrogel constructs. Network formation through the epoxy-amine reaction was shown to be rapid and facile, and the progressive incorporation of the hydrophilic polyamidoamine cross-linker into the hydrogel was shown to mitigate the often problematic tendency of thermogelling materials to undergo significant postformation gel syneresis. The results suggest that this novel class of injectable hydrogels may be attractive substrates for tissue engineering applications due to the synthetic versatility of the component materials and beneficial hydrogel gelation kinetics and stability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77030, United States.
authors.forename: Adam K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Ekenseair
authors.forename: Kristel W M
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Boere
authors.forename: Stephanie N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Tzouanas
authors.forename: Tiffany N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Vo
authors.forename: F Kurtis
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Kasper
authors.forename: Antonios G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Mikos
mesh_terms: D000178:Acrylamides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D000180:Acrylic Resins; D005782:Gels / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D011073:Polyamines / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature; D023822:Tissue Engineering
chemical_list: D000178:Acrylamides; D000180:Acrylic Resins; D005782:Gels; D020100:Hydrogels; C531249:Poly(amidoamine); D011073:Polyamines; D011108:Polymers; C052970:poly-N-isopropylacrylamide