Biomimetic gels with chemical and physical interpenetrating networks

Abstract

This study aimed to create and to characterize the functional properties of gels with semi-interpenetrating network (semi-IPN) with focus on possible use of these composites in biomedical engineering. Polyacrylamide as a synthetic biocompatible polymer was chosen for the chemical network. The physical network comprised the gel-forming polysaccharides xanthan gum or gellan gum. Gels were synthesized by radical polymerization of acrylamide in aqueous solutions of polysaccharides. Mechanical and electrical properties of gels with 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 wt% content of polysaccharide were investigated. It was found that the inclusion of a small amount of xanthan or gellan into the polymeric network of a polyacrylamide gel significantly shifts the gel electrical potential towards the rest potential of living cells and Young's modulus towards the elasticity limits of biological soft tissues like non-activated muscles. From the viewpoint of biomedical applications, the main advantage of the proposed composites is that the semi-IPN structure provides a nonlinear dependence of gel tension on gel deformation, which mimics the elasticity of natural tissues. This feature opens the possibility for the promising use of the proposed gels for musculoskeletal minibioimplants or scaffolds for tissue engineering.

The Contribution of Magnetic Nanoparticles to Ferrogel Biophysical Properties

“…The typical and most common hydrogels are compounds based on polyacrylamide (PAAm). The use of PAAm gels as scaffolds for the needs of cellular technologies and tissue engineering is widely discussed in the literature [ 15 , 16 , 17 ]. The advantages of PAAm gels for biomedical applications are low toxicity, cells compatibility, and high-range elasticity [ 18 ].…”

Poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogel: from a brittle material to a nanofilled semi‐interpenetrating polymer network with potential application in wound dressings

“…Mooney–Rivlin plots are given in Figs S1, S2, S3 and S4. The reinforcement of synthetic hydrogels with the formation of semi‐IPNs using small amounts of polysaccharides has been reported recently; the authors claim that these materials are biomimetic since their mechanical properties provide a nonlinear dependence of gel tension on gel deformation, which mimics the elasticity of natural tissues.…”

Regeneración Del Órgano Cutáneo Mediante Ingeniería De Tejidos

“…La presencia de polisacáridos a diferentes concentraciones mejora la biocompatibilidad del gel, además de aumentar significativamente el módulo de Young y el potencial eléctrico del gel sintético. Las estructuras desarrolladas en este estudio tienen la ventaja de que presentan un comportamiento no lineal en la tensión versus deformación, lo cual es característico de los tejidos blandos [23].…”