Amino acid-based poly(ester urea) (PEU) copolymers functionalized with pendant catechol groups that address the need for strongly adhesive yet degradable biomaterials have been developed. Lap-shear tests with aluminum adherends demonstrated that these polymers have lap-shear adhesion strengths near 1 MPa. An increase in lap-shear adhesive strength to 2.4 MPa was achieved upon the addition of an oxidative cross-linker. The adhesive strength on porcine skin adherends was comparable with commercial fibrin glue. Interfacial energies of the polymeric materials were investigated via contact angle measurements and Johnson-Kendall-Roberts (JKR) technique. The JKR work of adhesion was consistent with contact angle measurements. The chemical and physical properties of PEUs can be controlled using different diols and amino acids, making the polymers candidates for the development of biological glues for use in clinical applications.
Efficient ex vivo methods for expanding primary human chondrocytes while maintaining phenotype is critical to advancing autologous cell sourcing efforts for tissue engineering applications. While there is significant activity in the literature, systematic approaches are necessary to determine and optimize the chemical and mechanical scaffold properties for hyaline cartilage generation using limited cell numbers. Functionalized hydrogels possessing continuous variations in physico-chemical properties are therefore an efficient three-dimensional platform for studying several properties simultaneously. Herein, we describe a polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate (PEGDM) hydrogel system possessing a gradient in modulus (~27,000 Pa to 3,800 Pa) containing a uniform concentration of arginine–glycine–aspartic acid peptide (RGD) to enhance cellular adhesion for the correlation of primary human osteoarthritic chondrocyte proliferation, phenotype maintenance, and ECM production to the hydrogel properties. Cell number and chondrogenic phenotype (CD14:CD90 ratios) were found to decline in regions with higher storage modulus (>13,100 Pa), while regions with lower storage modulus maintained cell number and phenotype. Over three weeks of culture, hydrogel regions possessing lower storage modulus experience an increase in ECM content (~200%) compared to regions with higher storage modulus. Variations in the amount and organization of cytoskeletal markers actin and vinculin were observed within the modulus gradient which are indicative of the differences in chondrogenic phenotype maintenance and ECM expression. Thus scaffold mechanical properties significantly impact on modulating human osteoarthritic chondrocyte behavior and tissue formation.
Poly(ester urea)s (PEUs) derived from α-amino acids are promising for vascular tissue engineering applications. The objective of this work was to synthesize and characterize L-leucine-based PEUs and evaluate their suitability for vascular tissue engineering. Four different PEUs were prepared from di-p-toluenesulfonic acid salts of bis-L-leucine esters and triphosgene using interfacial condensation polymerizations. Mechanical testing indicated that the elastic moduli of the respective polymers were strongly dependent on the chain length of diols in the monomers. Three of the resulting PEUs showed elastic moduli that fall within the range of native blood vessels (0.16 to 12 MPa). The in vitro degradation assays over 6 months indicated that the polymers are surface eroding and no significant pH drop was observed during the degradation process. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and A-10 smooth muscle cells (A-10 SMCs) were cultured on PEU thin films. Protein adsorption studies showed the PEUs did not led to significant platelet adsorption in platelet rich plasma (PRP) after pretreatment with fibrinogen. Taken together, our data suggest that the L-leucine-based PEUs are viable candidate materials for use in vascular tissue engineering applications.
The thermal shape memory behavior of poly(ester urea)s (PEUs) composed of varying α-amino acids and linear diols has been explored. The thermal, mechanical, and shape memory properties of PEUs are shown to be controlled by changing the amino acid and diol components of the polymer, without negatively affecting the shape memory performance of the polymer in most cases. These materials display triple-shape memory behavior and temperature memory properties due to a broad glass transition temperature interval. The versatility of the shape memory behavior of PEUs was explored by demonstrating shape transformations of thin films, salt leached scaffolds, and larger constructs. Overall good shape memory behavior in combination with the tunable properties of PEU materials makes them prime candidates for use as shape memory materials in biomedical applications.
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