Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada.
Published: October 2023
AI Article Synopsis
Article Abstract
While hydrogels are demonstrated to be effective scaffolds for soft tissue engineering, existing fabrication techniques pose limitations in terms of being able to reproduce both the micro/nanofibrous structures of native extracellular matrix as well as the spatial arrangement of different cell types inherent of more complex tissues. Herein, a reactive cell electrospinning strategy is described using hydrazide and aldehyde-functionalized poly(oligoethylene glycol methacrylate) precursor polymers that can create nanofibrous hydrogel scaffolds with controllable local cell gradients using a sequential all-aqueous process that does not require additives or external energy. Cells can be encapsulated directly during the fabrication process in different layers within the scaffold, enabling localized segregation of different cell types within the structures without compromising their capacity to proliferate (≈4-fold increase in cell density over a 14 day incubation period). This sequential reactive electrospinning approach thus offers promise to generate coculture fibrous hydrogel networks in which both the nanoscale architecture and the cell distribution can be controlled, as it is essential to recreate more complex types of tissues.
Background: There is a current fashion for the use of methacrylate-containing nail cosmetics that can induce allergic contact dermatitis. European Union (EU) legislation was introduced in 2021 that had the aim of preventing its development.
Objectives: To assess prevalence and exposures causing contact allergy to 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) prior to and following implementation of the legislation.
Compared to antimicrobial agents, anti-adhesive surfaces can reduce bacteria adhesion and biofilm formation in catheters, providing better selectivity, efficiency, and device life span. In this research, novel anionic surface biomaterials were created and tested to reduce microbial adhesion and colonization in medical device coating. Maleic anhydride (MA) was polymerized with 2-HEMA in varying amounts to produce a p(HEMA--MA) hydrogel copolymer.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC 27707. Electronic address:
The study focuses on an innovative thermosensitive quadpolymer designed for injection to deliver anti-fibrotic drugs, specifically targeting uterine fibroids while potentially preserving fertility.
The quadpolymer functions as an injectable solution at room temperature and transforms into a stable gel at body temperature, allowing for sustained release of the drug pirfenidone.
Results showed that the pirfenidone-loaded quadpolymer effectively inhibited fibroid cell proliferation, indicating its potential as a localized treatment option for uterine fibroid therapy.
The structural and dynamic properties of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) and poly(-vinylpyrrolidone--2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) [P(VP--HEMA)], dry and as hydrogels, were studied by molecular dynamics simulations. The P(VP--HEMA) chains differed in the number of VP mers, distributed randomly or in blocks. In all considered configurations, HEMA and VP side chains proved relatively rigid and stable.
A thermoresponsive copolymer based on oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate, Chol-P(MEOMA-co-OEGMA), was synthesized using Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) and incorporated into thermosensitive liposomes (TSLs) for controlled drug release. The copolymer exhibited a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of 37 °C, making it suitable for biomedical applications requiring precise thermal triggers. The copolymer was incorporated into various TSL formulations alongside phospholipids such as DPPC, Lyso-PC, HSPC, and DSPC.
