Synthetic scaffolds based on biodegradable, functionalized polyesters for tissue engineering applications

Abstract

The aim of this thesis was to investigate the possibility of using a novel hydroxyl-functionalized polyester [poly(hydroxymethylglycolide-co-ε-caprolactone), pHMGCL] (Fig.9) to fabricate scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. Degradable polymers that are frequently used for tissue engineering applications are ‘normal’ aliphatic polyesters such as PCL, PLA and PLGA. One of the drawbacks of these polyesters is their hydrophobicity and lack of functional groups, which limits cell adhesion which is an important factor when constructing polymeric scaffolds. Another drawback is their slow hydrolytic degradation (in case of PCL and PLA) due to high extent of crystallinity and hydrophobicity, which makes these materials only suitable for long term implantable devices. Although several functionalized polyesters have been synthesized in recent years, only a limited number has been evaluated for tissue engineering applications so far. Thus, there is a strong need for development of novel materials with improved physical, chemical, and biological properties for tissue engineering applications