Sudesh K
School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
Med J Malaysia. 2004 May;59 Suppl B:55-6.
Among the various biomaterials available for tissue engineering and therapeutic applications, microbial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) offer the most diverse range of thermal and mechanical properties. Of particular interest are the PHAs that contain 4-hydroxybutyrate such as poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB-co-4HB) and poly(4-hydroxybutyrate) [P(4HB)]. These polyesters can only be synthesized by a few types of bacteria, among which Comamonas acidovorans has the most efficient metabolic pathways to channel 4HB monomers. The resulting polyesters are bioabsorbable and are being developed as a new biomaterial for medical applications. By controlling the molar ratio of the monomers, it is possible to produce materials that are as tough and elastic as rubber.
在可用于组织工程和治疗应用的各种生物材料中，微生物聚羟基脂肪酸酯（PHA）具有最为多样的热性能和机械性能。特别值得关注的是含有4-羟基丁酸的PHA，例如聚（3-羟基丁酸酯-co-4-羟基丁酸酯）[P(3HB-co-4HB)]和聚（4-羟基丁酸酯）[P(4HB)]。这些聚酯只能由少数几种细菌合成，其中食酸丛毛单胞菌具有将4HB单体导入的最有效代谢途径。所得聚酯具有生物可吸收性，并且正在被开发成为一种用于医疗应用的新型生物材料。通过控制单体的摩尔比，可以生产出像橡胶一样坚韧且有弹性的材料。
