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Patterning of a Random Copolymer of Poly[lactide‐ co ‐glycotide‐ co ‐( ε ‐caprolactone)] by UV Embossing for Tissue Engineering
Author(s) -
Zhu Aiping,
Chen Rongqing,
ChanPark Mary B.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
macromolecular bioscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.924
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1616-5195
pISSN - 1616-5187
DOI - 10.1002/mabi.200500168
Subject(s) - embossing , microchannel , copolymer , materials science , polymer , polymerization , caprolactone , polymer chemistry , tissue engineering , chemical engineering , morphology (biology) , ethylene glycol , composite material , nanotechnology , biomedical engineering , medicine , engineering , biology , genetics
Summary: The random copolymer, poly[lactide‐ co ‐glycotide‐ co ‐( ε ‐caprolactone)] (PLGACL) diacrylate was prepared by ring‐opening polymerization of L ‐lactide, glycolide, and ε ‐caprolactone initiated with tetra(ethylene glycol). The diacrylated polymers were extensively characterized. With a UV embossing method, these copolymers were successfully fabricated into microchannels separated by microwalls with a high aspect (height/width) ratio. The PLGACL network films showed good cytocompatibility. Varieties of microstructures were fabricated, such as 10 × 40 × 60, 10 × 80 × 60, 25 × 40 × 60, or 25 × 80 × 60 µm 3 structures (microwall width × microchannel width × microwall height). The results demonstrated that smooth muscle cells (SMCs) can grow not only on the microchannel surfaces but also on the surfaces of the microwall and sidewall. The SMCs aligned along the 25 µm wide microwall with an elongated morphology and proliferated very slowly in comparison to those on the smooth surface with a longer cell‐culture term. Few cells could attach and spread on the surface of the 40 µm wide microchannel, while the cells flourished on the 80 µm, or more than 80 µm, wide microchannel with a spindle morphology. The biophysical mechanism mediated by the micropattern geometry is discussed. Overall, the present micropattern, consisting of biodegradable and cytocompatible PLGACL, provides a promising scaffold for tissue engineering.