Comparison of ways of separating combined microparticles in functional tissue engineering scaffold / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:Biocompatibility is a key parameter in drug delivery systems. In general, to obtain a proper microparticle carrier, the materials themselves should have excellent biocompatibility. Besides, spherical degree and surface smoothness both have significant influence on biocompatibility.OBJECTIVE: To obtain spherical and smooth poly (lactide-co-glycolide)microparticles, so as to improve the property of biocompatibility.DESIGN: Open experiment.SETTING: Research Laboratory of Biomaterials, Jinan University.MATERIALS: The experiment was conducted in the Research Laboratory of Biomaterials, Jinan University, between June 2004 and January 2005.The materials included poly(lactide-co-glycolide), lysozyme and poly (vinyl alcohol). The other reagents were analytical pure. The instruments included a homogenizer, a mechanical stirrer, an ultrasonic cleaning instrument, a scanning electron microscope and an atomic force microscope.METHODS: ① Preparation of microparticles: Lysozyme was selected as a model protein for encapsulation into poly(lactide-co-glycolide) using a dou-ble emulsion solvent extraction/evaporation method. Three separation methods, namely direct vacuum freeze-drying, filtration and centrifugation,were investigated and compared. ② Observation under the scanning electron microscope: We observed the effect of three separation methods on the shape of microparticles. All the samples were attached to copper mounts and coated with gold, and then were observed with an electron microscope.③ Observation under the atomic force microscope: The morphological structure of the surface was analyzed with atomic force microscope.RESULTS: ① Observation results of scanning electron microscope: Compared with direct vacuum freeze-drying and filtration, centrifugation method was more efficacious in obtaining spherical and smooth microparticles based on the scanning electron microscope pictures. But results also warned us to be more careful when we prepared scanning electron microscope samples using ultrasonic to separate the aggregates. ② Atomic force microscope results indicated that the surface was smooth with the average roughness of 48.55 nm.CONCLUSION: By investigating the influence of different downstream processes, we can obtain spherical and smooth products. Besides, a new one-step method is put forward in constructing some microparticle-combined polymer based scaffolds because the combined scaffolds and microparticles are formed synchronously.

Synthesis of a bio-active bone-matrix material and study of the cellular biocompatibility / 生物医学工程学杂志

To prepare poly(lactic acid/glycolic acid/ asparagic acid-co- polyethylene glycol) (PLGA-[ASP-PEG]) and examine the cellular biocompatibility. PLGA-[ASP-PEG] was obtained by bulk ring-opening copolymerization method, examined by infrared spectrometry (IR) and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR). Bone marrow stromal cells(BMSCs) were cultured with PLGA-[ASP-PEG] (experiment gruop) and PLGA (control group) in vitro respectively, and were observed by phase-contrast microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The resuls showed that PLGA-[ASP-PEG] was obtained and proved by IR and 1H NMR. The BMSCs of the experiment group could well attach to and extend on the surface of the PLGA-[ASP-PEG], and could proliferate and secrete better extracellular matrix, compared with control. The PLGA-[ASP-PEG] has good cellular a biocompatibility. It can be used as a biomaterial for bone tissue engineering.

Preparation and degradation of poly(DL-lactide)/calcium phosphates porous scaffolds / 生物医学工程学杂志

The porous foams were prepared by the solvent-casting and particulate-leaching technique using poly(DL-lactide) (PDLLA), poly(DL-lactide)/hydroxyapatite (PDLLA/20wt%HA), and poly(DL-lactide)/beta-tricalcium phosphate(PDLLA/20wt% beta-TCP) respectively. Observations by scanning electron microscopy indicated that the HA and beta-TCP were homogeneously dispersed in the polymer matrix, and the pores of the foams are interconnected, resulting in continuous pore structures. The porosity of PDLLA/HA and PDLLA/beta-TCP foams was lower than that of the pure PDLLA foams, but the compression strength was higher than that of the pure PDLLA foams. The results of the degradation in vitro showed that both HA and beta-TCP had significant inhibitory effects on the degradation of PDLLA, especially the HA. It is expected that the composite foams are of use as scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.