DCU Biomaterials Research Group, Centre for Medical Engineering Research, School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland.
DCU Biomaterials Research Group, Centre for Medical Engineering Research, School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland; DUBBLE Beamline, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), 71 avenue des Martyrs, CS 40220, Grenoble, 38043, France; School of Chemistry, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Carbohydr Polym. 2019 Aug 1;217:152-159. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.04.016. Epub 2019 Apr 6.
Composite biomaterials offer a new approach for engineering novel, minimally-invasive scaffolds with properties that can be modified for a range of soft tissue applications. In this study, a new way of controlling the gelation of alginate hydrogels using Ga-based glass particles is presented. Through a comprehensive analysis, it was shown that the setting time, mechanical strength, stiffness and degradation properties of this composite can all be tailored for various applications. Specifically, the hydrogel generated through using a glass particle, wherein toxic aluminium is replaced with biocompatible gallium, exhibited enhanced properties. The material's stiffness matches that of soft tissues, while it displays a slow and tuneable gelation rate, making it a suitable candidate for minimally-invasive intra-vascular injection. In addition, it was also found that this composite can be tailored to deliver ions into the local cellular environment without affecting platelet adhesion or compromising viability of vascular cells in vitro.
复合材料为工程新型微创支架提供了一种新方法，其特性可以针对多种软组织应用进行修改。在这项研究中，提出了一种使用基于 Ga 的玻璃颗粒控制藻酸盐水凝胶胶凝的新方法。通过全面分析，表明这种复合材料的凝固时间、机械强度、硬度和降解性能都可以针对各种应用进行定制。具体来说，通过使用玻璃颗粒生成的水凝胶，其中有毒的铝被生物相容性的镓所取代，表现出了增强的性能。该材料的硬度与软组织相匹配，同时显示出缓慢且可调的胶凝速率，使其成为适用于微创血管内注射的候选材料。此外，还发现这种复合材料可以定制以向局部细胞环境中输送离子，而不会影响血小板黏附或损害体外血管细胞的活力。
