Thermoresponsive, Biodegradable, Elastomeric Material
Degradable, thermosensitive hydrogels could provide important benefits to tissue engineering and drug delivery applications. Injectable hydrogels may be useful as drug delivery vehicles or as scaffolds for cell transplantation. An as-yet unrealized, injectable and thermosensitive hydrogel could easily assume a desired shape when the temperature is below a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) and retain this shape when the temperature is raised above the LCST.
Description
Researchers have developed a biodegradable biomaterial that changes from a liquid into a semisolid gel when the ambient temperature reaches a point higher than the LCST. Its biodegradation is controlled by hydrolytic cleavage into a nontoxic solution that is then cleared by the body. This material can be modified for different applications and is designed to stretch with the body. It is superior to other available biomaterials in terms of flexibility and strength, which mimics that of soft tissue, making it an obvious choice for a myriad of bioengineering and medical applications.Applications
· Repair of heart muscle and other stretchable body tissues· Injectable stem cell vehicle for bone marrow transplants
· Bulking agent for cosmetic applications
· Delivery vehicle for chemotherapy to abdomen following tumor resections
· Potential sealant for pulmonary, cardiac, and neural applications
· Controlled release of insulin, vascular endothelial growth factor, or other proteins
Advantages
· Temperature sensitive and easily controllable; physical properties are maintained at physiologically relevant temperatures· Ability to stretch to 1000% and return to its original size
· Does not break when stretched (tensile strength > 0.3 MPA)
· Highly flexible and can conform to any cavity shape and size
· Compatible with biomolecules and drugs
· Compatible with imaging agents for visualization
· Injectable or sprayable application is simple and relatively non-invasive