RESUMO
This is a work aimed to investigate the biodegradability, biocompatibility and mechanical property of the poly-lactide-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) knitted mesh preliminarily and to further explore its applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The biological property of PLGA mesh was investigated comprehensively with the degradation experiment in vitro, the acute cytotoxicity assay, the intradermal irritation test and the subcutaneous implantation test in vivo utilized. The degradation experiment in vitro demonstrated that the pH value of the removed solution fluctuated between 6.68 and 7.33. The elastic modulus of the PLGA mesh increased at first and then decreased afterwards. The acute toxicity test and the intradermal irritation test indicated that the PLGA mesh was with innocuity safety. The PLGA mesh accelerated degradation and was replaced gradually by the neotissue. The results of immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that the number of ED-1+ cells increased at first and then decreased afterwards. The PLGA mesh with excellent mechanical properties, good biocompatibility and favorable degradation ratio has the potential to be employed as a "skeleton" to reinforce the mechanical property of collagen-based dermal substitutes in tissue engineering.