23 research outputs found
Synthesis and Characterization of Thermally and Chemically Gelling Injectable Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering
Novel, injectable hydrogels were developed that solidify through a dual-gelation, physical and
chemical, mechanism upon preparation and elevation of temperature to 37°C. A thermogelling,
poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-based macromer with pendant epoxy rings and a hydrolyticallydegradable
polyamidoamine-based diamine crosslinker were synthesized, characterized, and
combined to produce in situ forming hydrogel constructs. Network formation through the epoxyamine
reaction was shown to be rapid and facile, and the progressive incorporation of the
hydrophilic polyamidoamine crosslinker into the hydrogel was shown to mitigate the often
problematic tendency of thermogelling materials to undergo significant post-formation 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