Polyaniline cryogels: Biocompatibility of novel conducting macroporous material

Abstract

Polyaniline cryogel is a new unique form of polyaniline combining intrinsic electrical conductivity and the material properties of hydrogels. It is prepared by the polymerization of aniline in frozen poly(vinyl alcohol) solutions. The biocompatibility of macroporous polyaniline cryogel was demonstrated by testing its cytotoxicity on mouse embryonic fibroblasts and via the test of embryotoxicity based on the formation of beating foci within spontaneous differentiating embryonic stem cells. Good biocompatibility was related to low contents of low-molecular-weight impurities in polyaniline cryogel, which was confirmed by liquid chromatography. The adhesion and growth of embryonic stem cells, embryoid bodies, cardiomyocytes, and neural progenitors prove that polyaniline cryogel has the potential to be used as a carrier for cells in tissue engineering or bio-sensing. The surface energy as well as the elasticity and porosity of cryogel mimic tissue properties. Polyaniline cryogel can therefore be applied in bio-sensing or regenerative medicine in general, and mainly in the tissue engineering of electrically excitable tissues.

Properties of conductive polymer hydrogels and their application in sensors

“…Humpolíček et al . prepared PAni cryogels with better biocompatibility compared to traditional polyaniline due to its low content of impurities . In the toxicity test, the synthesized PAni cryogels showed no cytotoxicity and embryotoxicity, demonstrating their potentials in tissue engineering and biosensing.…”

Electroactive Smart Polymers for Biomedical Applications

“…Poly[3,4-(ethylenedioxy)thiophene] (PEDOT) [39], polypyrrole (PPy) [40], and polyaniline (PANi) [41] are some of the most widely used intrinsically conductive polymers in tissue engineering scaffolds and biomaterials [17]. However, for biomedical applications, their use is limited mainly because of their poor processability and mechanical properties [36].…”

Conductive Biomaterials as Substrates for Neural Stem Cells Differentiation towards Neuronal Lineage Cells

“…In another study, the potential of PANI cryogel in inducing the proliferation, attachment, and differentiation of neural progenitor cells was also confirmed, suggesting the potential of these scaffolds for biosensing and neural tissue engineering. [ 91 ] The differentiation of the seeded progenitor cells on PANI cryogel or TPS was evaluated by cell viability assessment and F‐actin staining. The neural progenitor cells were well‐dispersed on TPS, whether coated with gelatin or not, and formed compact colonies ( Figure 4 A,B).…”