Van Vlierberghe S, Dubruel P, Lippens E, Cornelissen M, Schacht E
Polymer Chemistry & Biomaterials Research Group, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
J Biomater Sci Polym Ed. 2009;20(10):1417-38. doi: 10.1163/092050609X12457418905508.
In the present work, we have performed an in-depth physico-chemical and bio-physical evaluation of a series of previously described porous gelatin scaffolds (S. VanVlierberghe, V. Cnudde, P. Dubruel, B. Masschaele, A. Cosijns, I. DePaepe, P.J.S. Jacobs, L. VanHoorebeke, J.P. Remon and E. Schacht, Biomacromolecules 8, 331 (2007)). All scaffolds were prepared by a cryogenic treatment and subsequent freeze-drying. Three types of scaffolds were prepared by using different gelatin concentrations and cooling protocols. Type-I hydrogels were composed of cone-like pores with decreasing diameter from top (330 microm) to bottom (20-30 microm). Type-II and type-III scaffolds contained spherical pores with an average diameter of 135 (type II) and 65 microm (type III), respectively. The physico-chemical and bio-physical properties studied include the water uptake capacity and kinetics, the mechanical properties and the enzyme-mediated degradation. We can conclude that the pore geometry affects the water uptake capacity, the mechanical properties and the degradation profile of the hydrogels. Type-I hydrogels possess the highest water uptake, the lowest compression modulus and the fastest enzyme mediated degradation, indicating a clear effect of the pore morphology (elongated channels for type I versus spherical pores for types II and III) on the physico-chemical and bio-physical properties of the materials. In contrast to the effect of the pore geometry (channel-like versus spherical), the pore size does not significantly affect the water uptake, the mechanical properties and the enzyme mediated degradation in the investigated pore size range (65-135 microm). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in which the effects of a cryogenic treatment on the hydrogel network properties are investigated in such detail.
在本研究中，我们对一系列先前描述的多孔明胶支架（S. VanVlierberghe、V. Cnudde、P. Dubruel、B. Masschaele、A. Cosijns、I. DePaepe、P.J.S. Jacobs、L. VanHoorebeke、J.P. Remon和E. Schacht，《生物大分子》8卷，331页（2007年））进行了深入的物理化学和生物物理评估。所有支架均通过低温处理和随后的冷冻干燥制备。通过使用不同的明胶浓度和冷却方案制备了三种类型的支架。I型水凝胶由顶部直径为330微米、底部直径为20 - 30微米的锥形孔组成。II型和III型支架分别包含平均直径为135微米（II型）和65微米（III型）的球形孔。所研究的物理化学和生物物理性质包括吸水能力和动力学、力学性能以及酶介导的降解。我们可以得出结论，孔的几何形状会影响水凝胶的吸水能力、力学性能和降解情况。I型水凝胶具有最高的吸水量、最低的压缩模量和最快的酶介导降解速度，这表明孔形态（I型为细长通道，II型和III型为球形孔）对材料的物理化学和生物物理性质有明显影响。与孔几何形状（通道状与球形）的影响相反，在所研究的孔径范围（65 - 135微米）内，孔径对吸水、力学性能和酶介导的降解没有显著影响。据我们所知，这是第一份如此详细地研究低温处理对水凝胶网络性质影响的报告。
