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Sample records for temperature-responsive chitosan hydrogel

  1. UV-crosslinkable and thermo-responsive chitosan hybrid hydrogel for NIR-triggered localized on-demand drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Lei; Li, Baoqiang; Xu, Feng; Xu, Zheheng; Wei, Daqing; Feng, Yujie; Wang, Yaming; Jia, Dechang; Zhou, Yu

    2017-10-15

    Innovative drug delivery technologies based on smart hydrogels for localized on-demand drug delivery had aroused great interest. To acquire smart UV-crosslinkable chitosan hydrogel for NIR-triggered localized on-demanded drug release, a novel UV-crosslinkable and thermo-responsive chitosan was first designed and synthesized by grafting with poly N-isopropylacrylamide, acetylation of methacryloyl groups and embedding with photothermal carbon. The UV-crosslinkable unit (methacryloyl groups) endowed chitosan with gelation via UV irradiation. The thermo-responsive unit (poly N-isopropylacrylamide) endowed chitosan hydrogel with temperature-triggered volume shrinkage and reversible swelling/de-swelling behavior. The chitosan hybrid hydrogel embedded with photothermal carbon exhibited distinct NIR-triggered volume shrinkage (∼42% shrinkage) in response to temperature elevation as induced by NIR laser irradiation. As a demonstration, doxorubicin release rate was accelerated and approximately 40 times higher than that from non-irradiated hydrogels. The UV-crosslinkable and thermal-responsive hybrid hydrogel served as in situ forming hydrogel-based drug depot is developed for NIR-triggered localized on-demand release. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Thermo-responsive hydroxybutyl chitosan hydrogel as artery intervention embolic agent for hemorrhage control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Guohui; Feng, Chao; Jiang, Changqing; Zhang, Tingting; Bao, Zixian; Zuo, Yajun; Kong, Ming; Cheng, Xiaojie; Liu, Ya; Chen, Xiguang

    2017-12-01

    This work targeted to investigate the potential of thermo-responsive hydroxybutyl chitosan (HBC) hydrogel using as an embolic material for occlusion of selective blood vessels. HBC hydrogel was prepared via an etherification reaction between chitosan (CS) and 1, 2-butene oxide. The hydroxybutyl groups were introduced into CS backbone, which endowed HBC hydrogel with properties of porous structure, favorable hydrophilia and rapid sol-gel interconvertibility. The gelation temperatures and gelation time respectively decreased from 30.7°C to 11.5°C and 79.60±3.19s to 7.70±1.42s at 37°C, with HBC solutions viscoelasticity increased from 3.0% to 7.0%. HBC hydrogel exhibited noncytotoxic to mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) and excellent hemocompatibility with red blood cells (RBCs). After injection HBC solution into rat renal arteries, HBC solution transformed into hydrogel and attached onto blood vessel inner wall tightly, giving immediate blood vessels embolization. Meanwhile, RBCs could aggregate around HBC hydrogel to form moderate coagulation, which was beneficial to avoid hydrogel migration with blood flow. Above results suggested that HBC hydrogel could be applied as a promising embolic agent for hemorrage in the interventional vascular embolization field. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. Pseudo-thermosetting chitosan hydrogels for biomedical application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berger, J; Reist, M; Chenite, A; Felt-Baeyens, O; Mayer, J M; Gurny, R

    2005-01-06

    To prepare transparent chitosan/beta-glycerophosphate (betaGP) pseudo-thermosetting hydrogels, the deacetylation degree (DD) of chitosan has been modified by reacetylation with acetic anhydride. Two methods (I and II) of reacetylation have been compared and have shown that the use of previously filtered chitosan, dilution of acetic anhydride and reduction of temperature in method II improves efficiency and reproducibility. Chitosans with DD ranging from 35.0 to 83.2% have been prepared according to method II under homogeneous and non-homogeneous reacetylation conditions and the turbidity of chitosan/betaGP hydrogels containing homogeneously or non-homogeneously reacetylated chitosan has been investigated. Turbidity is shown to be modulated by the DD of chitosan and by the homogeneity of the medium during reacetylation, which influences the distribution mode of the chitosan monomers. The preparation of transparent chitosan/betaGP hydrogels requires a homogeneously reacetylated chitosan with a DD between 35 and 50%.

  4. Radiation synthesis and characterization of nanosilver/gelatin/carboxymethyl chitosan hydrogel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou Ying; Zhao Yinghui; Wang Lu; Xu Ling; Zhai Maolin; Wei Shicheng

    2012-01-01

    A series of antibacterial hydrogels were fabricated from an aqueous solution of AgNO 3 , gelatin and carboxymethyl chitosan (CM-chitosan) by radiation-induced reduction and crosslinking at ambient temperature. The nanosilver particles were in situ synthesized accompanying with the formation of gelatin/CM-chitosan hydrogel. Transmission Electron Microscope and UV–vis analysis have verified the formation and homogeneous distribution of nanosilver particles in the hydrogel matrix. The nanosilver/gelatin/CM-chitosan hydrogels possessed interconnected porous structure, had a compressive modulus of 44 to 56 kPa, and could absorb 62 to 108 times of deionized water to its dry weight. Furthermore, the hydrogels were found to have sound antibacterial effect on Escherichia coli (E. coli), and their antibacterial ability could be significantly enhanced by the increasing of AgNO 3 content. The comprehensive results of this study suggest that nanosilver/gelatin/CM-chitosan hydrogels have potential as an antibacterial wound dressing. - Highlights: ► Nanosilver/gelatin/CM-chitosan hydrogel was synthesized by radiation crosslinking. ► Nanosilver particles distributed homogeneously in the hydrogel. ► The size of nanosilver increased with the increase of AgNO 3 concentration. ► The nanosilver/gelatin/CM-chitosan hydrogel has antibacterial ability.

  5. Reinforcement of thermoplastic chitosan hydrogel using chitin whiskers optimized with response surface methodology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Guohui; Zhang, Xin; Bao, Zixian; Lang, Xuqian; Zhou, Zhongzheng; Li, Yang; Feng, Chao; Chen, Xiguang

    2018-06-01

    To strengthen the mechanical strength of thermo-sensitive hydroxybutyl chitosan (HBC) hydrogel, chitin whiskers were used as sticker to fabricate reinforced HBC (HBCW) hydrogel by using response surface methodology. Unlike the intrinsic network of HBC hydrogel, HBCW hydrogel showed a laminar shape with firm structure. The preparation condition was optimized by three-factor-three-level Box-Behnken design. The maximum mechanical strength (1011.11 Pa) was achieved at 50 °C, when the concentrations of HBC and chitin whiskers were 5.1 wt% and 2.0 wt%, respectively. The effects of temperature, pH value and NaCl concentration on mechanical strength of HBCW hydrogels were investigated via the oscillatory stress sweeps. The results showed that HBCW hydrogel could reach the maximum stiffness (∼1126 Pa) at 37 °C pH 12.0. Low pH and high salty ions could decrease the stability of hydrogel, while chitin whiskers could increase the stress tolerance and related ruptured strain of HBCW hydrogels. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  6. 1,3,5-Triazine-2,4,6-tribenzaldehyde derivative as a new crosslinking agent for synthesis of pH-thermo dual responsive chitosan hydrogels and their nanocomposites: Swelling properties and drug release behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karimi, Ali Reza; Tarighatjoo, Mahsa; Nikravesh, Golara

    2017-12-01

    In this work, 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-tribenzaldehyde was synthesized and chosen as the cross-linking agent for preparation of novel thermo- and pH-responsive hydrogels based on chitosan. The cross-linking proceeds through formation of imine bond by reaction of amino groups of chitosan with aldehyde groups of the cross-linker. The various amounts (6, 10, 14% w/w) of the cross-linker were used with respect to chitosan to produce three 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-tribenzaldehyde cross-linked chitosans. Then, their hydrogel nanocomposites were prepared by crosslinking of chitosan with 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-tribenzaldehyde in the presence of 0.1% and 0.3% (w/w) multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The structure and properties of the hydrogels and their nanocomposites were characterized by FT-IR, 1 H NMR and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The swelling behavior of prepared hydrogels and their nanocomposites at different pHs and temperatures was investigated. The results showed that they exhibit a pH and temperature-responsive swelling ratio. The swelling behavior of the prepared chitosan hydrogels was strongly dependent on the amounts of cross-linker and MWCNTs. In vitro controlled release behavior of metronidazole model drug was studied with prepared hydrogels and nanocomposite hydrogels. The pH, temperature and wt% of MWCNTs were found to strongly influence the drug release behavior of the hydrogels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Preparation of Chitosan-based Injectable Hydrogels and Its Application in 3D Cell Culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yongsan; Zhang, Yaling; Wei, Yen; Tao, Lei

    2017-09-29

    The protocol presents a facile, efficient, and versatile method to prepare chitosan-based hydrogels using dynamic imine chemistry. The hydrogel is prepared by mixing solutions of glycol chitosan with a synthesized benzaldehyde terminated polymer gelator, and hydrogels are efficiently obtained in several minutes at room temperature. By varying ratios between glycol chitosan, polymer gelator, and water contents, versatile hydrogels with different gelation times and stiffness are obtained. When damaged, the hydrogel can recover its appearances and modulus, due to the reversibility of the dynamic imine bonds as crosslinkages. This self-healable property enables the hydrogel to be injectable since it can be self-healed from squeezed pieces to an integral bulk hydrogel after the injection process. The hydrogel is also multi-responsive to many bio-active stimuli due to different equilibration statuses of the dynamic imine bonds. This hydrogel was confirmed as bio-compatible, and L929 mouse fibroblast cells were embedded following standard procedures and the cell proliferation was easily assessed by a 3D cell cultivation process. The hydrogel can offer an adjustable platform for different research where a physiological mimic of a 3D environment for cells is profited. Along with its multi-responsive, self-healable, and injectable properties, the hydrogels can potentially be applied as multiple carriers for drugs and cells in future bio-medical applications.

  8. Comparison of chitosan nanoparticles and chitosan hydrogels for vaccine delivery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gordon, Sarah; Saupe, Anne; McBurney, Warren

    2008-01-01

    In this work the potential of chitosan nanoparticles (CNP) and thermosensitive chitosan hydrogels as particulate and sustained release vaccine delivery systems was investigated. CNP and chitosan hydrogels were prepared, loaded with the model protein antigen ovalbumin (OVA) and characterised...... of the release of fluorescently-labelled OVA (FITC-OVA) from CNP and chitosan hydrogels in-vitro showed that approximately 50% of the total protein was released from CNP within a period of ten days; release of antigen from chitosan gel occurred in a more sustained manner, with ... released after 10 days. The slow release from gel formulations may be explained by the strong interactions of the protein with chitosan. While OVA-loaded CNP showed no significant immunogenicity, formulations of OVA in chitosan gel were able to stimulate both cell-mediated and humoral immunity in-vivo....

  9. Chitosan-containing hydrogel wound dressings prepared by radiation technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mozalewska, Wiktoria; Czechowska-Biskup, Renata; Olejnik, Alicja K.; Wach, Radoslaw A.; Ulański, Piotr; Rosiak, Janusz M.

    2017-01-01

    The aim of the study was to develop an antimicrobial hydrogel wound dressing by means of radiation-initiated crosslinking of hydrophilic polymers, i.e. by well-established technology comprising gel manufacturing and its sterilization in one process. The approach included admixture of chitosan of relatively low molecular weight dissolved in lactic acid (LA) into the initial regular components of the conventional hydrogel dressing based on poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and agar. Molecular weight of chitosan was regulated by radiation-initiated degradation in the range of 39–132 kg mol −1 . Optimum total concentration of LA in the resultant hydrogel dressing was evaluated as 0.05 mol dm −3 , that is ca. 0.5%. Presence of LA in the system influenced essential radiation and technological parameters of hydrogel manufacturing. The setting temperature of the pre-hydrogel mixture, resulting from agar ability to congeal, was reduced with LA concentration, yet remained significantly above the room temperature. 0.5% of chitosan was effectively dissolved in aqueous solution of lactic acid due to its pH (lower than 5.5). Radiation parameters of PVP crosslinking in the presence of LA, as determined with generalized Charlesby–Pinner equation, were reflected in slight reduction of the maximum gel fraction and increase in gelation dose and in the factor comparing yields of scission to crosslinking. Nevertheless, essentially physical characteristics of the hydrogel was not affected, except for somewhat increased water uptake capacity, what in turn improves functionality of the dressing as extensive exudate for the wound can be efficiently absorbed. Preliminary microbiological studies showed antimicrobial character of the chitosan-containing hydrogel towards Gram-positive bacterial strain. - Highlights: • Radiation synthesis of bioactive hydrogel wound dressing based on PVP. • Sol-gel analysis, radiation yield of crosslinking and degradation, gel fraction.

  10. Significance of Glucose Addition on Chitosan-Glycerophosphate Hydrogel Properties

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    Dian Susanthy

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Chitosan-glycerophosphate hydrogel can be used as dental scaffold due to its thermosensitivity, gelation performance at body temperature, suitable acidity for body condition, biocompatibility, and ability to provide good environment for cell proliferation and differentiation. Previous study showed that glucose addition to the chitosan solution before steam sterilization improved its hydrogel mechanical strength. However, the effectiveness of glucose addition was still doubted because glucose might undergo Maillard reaction in that particular condition. The aims of this study are to confirm whether the glucose addition can increase the hydrogel mechanical strength and gelation rate effectively and also to compare their performance to be dental scaffold. This research was performed through several steps, namely preparation of chitosan-glycerophosphate solution, addition of glucose, gelation time test, gel mechanical strength measurement, functional group analysis, and physical properties measurements (pH, viscosity, and pore size. The result showed that glucose addition did not improve the hydrogel mechanical strength and gelation rate, neither when it was added before nor after steam sterilization. Glucose addition before steam sterilization seemed to trigger Maillard reaction or browning effect, while glucose addition after steam sterilization increased the amount of free water molecules in the hydrogel. Chitosan and glycerophosphate interact physically, but interaction between chitosan and glucose seems to occur chemically and followed by the formation of free water molecules. Glucose addition decreases the solution viscosity and hydrogel pore size so the hydrogel performance as dental scaffold is lowered.

  11. Chitosan composite hydrogels reinforced with natural clay nanotubes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Biao; Liu, Mingxian; Zhou, Changren

    2017-11-01

    Here, chitosan composites hydrogels were prepared by addition of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) in the chitosan KOH/LiOH/urea solution. The raw chitosan and chitosan/HNTs composite hydrogels were obtained by heat treatment at 60°C for 8h and then regeneration in ethanol solution. The viscosity of the composite solution is increased with HNTs content. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) shows that the hydrogen bonds interactions exist between the HNTs and the chitosan. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results show that the crystal structure of HNT is not changed in the composite hydrogels. The compressive property test and storage modulus determination show that the mechanical properties and anti-deformation ability of the composite hydrogel significantly increase owing to the reinforcing effect of HNTs. The composites hydrogel with 66.7% HNTs can undergo 7 times compression cycles without breaking with compressive strength of 0.71MPa at 70% deformation, while pure chitosan hydrogel is broken after bearing 5 compression cycles with compressive strength of 0.14MPa and a maximum deformation of 59%. A porous structure with pore size of 100-500μm is found in the composite hydrogels by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the pore size and the swelling ratio in NaCl solution decrease by the addition of HNTs and the immersing of ethanol. Chitosan/HNTs composite hydrogels show low cytotoxicity towards MC3T3-E1 cells. Also, the composite hydrogels show a maximum drug entrapment efficiency of 45.7% for doxorubicin (DOX) which is much higher than that of pure chitosan hydrogel (27.5%). All the results illustrate that the chitosan/HNTs composite hydrogels show promising applications as biomaterials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Cartilaginous extracellular matrix-modified chitosan hydrogels for cartilage tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Bogyu; Kim, Soyon; Lin, Brian; Wu, Benjamin M; Lee, Min

    2014-11-26

    Cartilaginous extracellular matrix (ECM) components such as type-II collagen (Col II) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) play a crucial role in chondrogenesis. However, direct clinical use of natural Col II or CS as scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering is limited by their instability and rapid enzymatic degradation. Here, we investigate the incorporation of Col II and CS into injectable chitosan hydrogels designed to gel upon initiation by exposure to visible blue light (VBL) in the presence of riboflavin. Unmodified chitosan hydrogel supported proliferation and deposition of cartilaginous ECM by encapsulated chondrocytes and mesenchymal stem cells. The incorporation of native Col II or CS into chitosan hydrogels further increased chondrogenesis. The incorporation of Col II, in particular, was found to be responsible for the enhanced cellular condensation and chondrogenesis observed in modified hydrogels. This was mediated by integrin α10 binding to Col II, increasing cell-matrix adhesion. These findings demonstrate the potential of cartilage ECM-modified chitosan hydrogels as biomaterials to promote cartilage regeneration.

  13. Bioresorption mechanisms of chitosan physical hydrogels: A scanning electron microscopy study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malaise, Sébastien; Rami, Lila; Montembault, Alexandra; Alcouffe, Pierre; Burdin, Béatrice; Bordenave, Laurence; Delmond, Samantha; David, Laurent

    2014-01-01

    Tissue-engineered biodegradable medical devices are widely studied and systems must present suitable balance between versatility and elaboration simplicity. In this work, we aim at illustrating that such equilibrium can be found by processing chitosan physical hydrogels without external cross-linker. Chitosan concentration, degree of acetylation, solvent composition, and neutralization route were modulated in order to obtain hydrogels exhibiting different physico-chemical properties. The resulting in vivo biological response was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. “Soft” hydrogels were obtained from chitosan of high degree of acetylation (35%) and by the neutralization with gaseous ammonia of a chitosan acetate aqueous solutions presenting low polymer concentration (Cp = 1.6% w/w). “Harder” hydrogels were obtained from chitosan with lower degree of acetylation (5%) and after neutralization in sodium hydroxide bath (1 M) of hydro-alcoholic chitosan solutions (50/50 w/w water/1,2-propanediol) with a polymer concentration of 2.5% w/w. Soft and hard hydrogels exhibited bioresorption times from below 10 days to higher than 60 days, respectively. We also evidenced that cell colonization and neo-vascularization mechanisms depend on the hydrogel-aggregated structure that is controlled by elaboration conditions and possibly in relation with mechanical properties. Specific processing conditions induced micron-range capillary formation, which can be assimilated to colonization channels, also acting on the resorption scenario. - Highlights: • We elaborated physical chitosan hydrogels presenting tuneable biological properties. • Cell colonization mechanism depends on biological and mechanical hydrogel properties. • Increasing the degree of acetylation will reduce the bioresorption time. • Capillaries played a role of cell colonization pathways

  14. Bioresorption mechanisms of chitosan physical hydrogels: A scanning electron microscopy study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Malaise, Sébastien, E-mail: sebastien.malaise@gmail.com [Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, Ingénierie des Matériaux Polymères (IMP-UMR 5223), 15 Boulevard Latarjet, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex (France); Rami, Lila [Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux 33000 (France); Inserm U1026, Bioingénierie Tissulaire, Bordeaux 33000 (France); Montembault, Alexandra; Alcouffe, Pierre [Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, Ingénierie des Matériaux Polymères (IMP-UMR 5223), 15 Boulevard Latarjet, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex (France); Burdin, Béatrice [Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre Technologique des Microstructure, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex (France); Bordenave, Laurence [Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux 33000 (France); Inserm U1026, Bioingénierie Tissulaire, Bordeaux 33000 (France); CHU de Bordeaux, CIC-IT Biomaterials, F-33000 Bordeaux (France); Delmond, Samantha [CHU de Bordeaux, CIC-IT Biomaterials, F-33000 Bordeaux (France); David, Laurent [Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, Ingénierie des Matériaux Polymères (IMP-UMR 5223), 15 Boulevard Latarjet, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex (France)

    2014-09-01

    Tissue-engineered biodegradable medical devices are widely studied and systems must present suitable balance between versatility and elaboration simplicity. In this work, we aim at illustrating that such equilibrium can be found by processing chitosan physical hydrogels without external cross-linker. Chitosan concentration, degree of acetylation, solvent composition, and neutralization route were modulated in order to obtain hydrogels exhibiting different physico-chemical properties. The resulting in vivo biological response was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. “Soft” hydrogels were obtained from chitosan of high degree of acetylation (35%) and by the neutralization with gaseous ammonia of a chitosan acetate aqueous solutions presenting low polymer concentration (Cp = 1.6% w/w). “Harder” hydrogels were obtained from chitosan with lower degree of acetylation (5%) and after neutralization in sodium hydroxide bath (1 M) of hydro-alcoholic chitosan solutions (50/50 w/w water/1,2-propanediol) with a polymer concentration of 2.5% w/w. Soft and hard hydrogels exhibited bioresorption times from below 10 days to higher than 60 days, respectively. We also evidenced that cell colonization and neo-vascularization mechanisms depend on the hydrogel-aggregated structure that is controlled by elaboration conditions and possibly in relation with mechanical properties. Specific processing conditions induced micron-range capillary formation, which can be assimilated to colonization channels, also acting on the resorption scenario. - Highlights: • We elaborated physical chitosan hydrogels presenting tuneable biological properties. • Cell colonization mechanism depends on biological and mechanical hydrogel properties. • Increasing the degree of acetylation will reduce the bioresorption time. • Capillaries played a role of cell colonization pathways.

  15. Genipin Cross-Linked Chitosan-Polyvinylpyrrolidone Hydrogels: Influence of Composition and Postsynthesis Treatment on pH Responsive Behaviour

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chinyelumndu Jennifer Nwosu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Understanding the factors that influence the pH responsive behaviour of biocompatible cross-linked hydrogel networks is essential when aiming to synthesise a mechanically stable and yet stimuli responsive material suitable for various applications including drug delivery and tissue engineering. In this study the behaviour of intelligent chitosan-polyvinylpyrrolidone-genipin cross-linked hydrogels is examined as a function of their composition and postsynthesis treatment. Hydrogels are synthesised with varying amounts of each component (chitosan, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and genipin and their response in a pH 2 buffer is measured optically. The influence of postsynthesis treatment on stability and smart characteristics is assessed using selected hydrogel samples synthesised at 30, 40, and 50°C. After synthesis, samples are exposed to either continuous freezing or three freeze-thaw cycles resulting in increased mechanical stability for all samples. Further morphological and mechanical characterisations have aided the understanding of how postsynthesis continual freezing or freeze-thaw manipulation affects network attributes.

  16. Phytase-mediated enzymatic mineralization of chitosan-enriched hydrogels

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lišková, Jana; Douglas, Timothy E.L.; Wijnants, Robbe

    2018-01-01

    Hydrogels mineralized with calcium phosphate (CaP) are increasingly popular bone regeneration biomaterials. Mineralization can be achieved by phosphatase enzyme incorporation and incubation in calcium glycerophosphate (CaGP). Gellan gum (GG) hydrogels containing the enzyme phytase and chitosan...... oligomer were mineralized in CaGP solution and characterized with human osteoblast-like MG63 cells and adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSC). Phytase induced CaP formation. Chitosan concentration determined mineralization extent and hydrogel mechanical reinforcement. Phytase-induced mineralization...... promoted MG63 adhesion and proliferation, especially in the presence of chitosan, and was non-toxic to MG63 cells (with and without chitosan). ADSC adhesion and proliferation were poor without mineralization. Chitosan did not affect ADSC osteogenic differentiation....

  17. pH-responsive self-healing injectable hydrogel based on N-carboxyethyl chitosan for hepatocellular carcinoma therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qu, Jin; Zhao, Xin; Ma, Peter X; Guo, Baolin

    2017-08-01

    Injectable hydrogels with pH-responsiveness and self-healing ability have great potential for anti-cancer drug delivery. Herein, we developed a series of polysaccharide-based self-healing hydrogels with pH-sensitivity as drug delivery vehicles for hepatocellular carcinoma therapy. The hydrogels were prepared by using N-carboxyethyl chitosan (CEC) synthesized via Michael reaction in aqueous solution and dibenzaldehyde-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEGDA). Doxorubicin (Dox), as a model of water-soluble small molecule anti-cancer drug was encapsulated into the hydrogel in situ. Self-healing behavior of the hydrogels was investigated at microscopic and macroscopic levels, and the hydrogels showed rapid self-healing performance without any external stimulus owing to the dynamic covalent Schiff-base linkage between amine groups from CEC and benzaldehyde groups from PEGDA. The chemical structures, rheological property, in vitro gel degradation, morphology, gelation time and in vitro Dox release behavior from the hydrogels were characterized. Injectability was verified by in vitro injection and in vivo subcutaneous injection in a rat. pH-responsive behavior was verified by in vitro Dox release from hydrogels in PBS solutions with different pH values. Furthermore, the activity of Dox released from hydrogel matrix was evaluated by employing human hepatocellular liver carcinoma (HepG2). Cytotoxicity test of the hydrogels using L929 cells confirmed their good cytocompatibility. Together, these pH-responsive self-healing injectable hydrogels are excellent candidates as drug delivery vehicles for liver cancer treatment. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: pH-responsive drug delivery system could release drug efficiently in targeted acid environment and minimalize the amount of drug release in normal physiological environment. pH-sensitive injectable hydrogels as smart anti-cancer drug delivery carriers show great potential application for cancer therapy. The hydrogels with self

  18. Preparation and properties of hydrogels of PVA/PVP/chitosan by radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nho, Y. C.; Park, K. R.

    2001-01-01

    The radiation can induce chemical reaction to modify polymer under even the solid condition or in the low temperature. The radiation crosslinking can be easily adjusted and is easily reproducible by controlling the radiation dose. The finished product contains no residuals of substances required to initiate the chemical crosslinking which can restrict the application possibilities. In these studies, hydrogels from a mixture of chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)/Poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone(PVP) were made by 'freezing and thawing', or gamma-ray irradiation or two steps of 'freezing and thawing', and gamma-ray irradiation or two steps of 'freezing and thawing' and gamma-ray irradiation for wound dressing. The mechanical properties such as gelation, water absorptivity, and gel strength were examined to evaluate the hydrogels for wound dressing. The composition of PVA:PVP was 60:40, PVA/PVP: chitosan ratio was in the range of 9:1 -7:3, and the solid concentration of PVA/PVP/chitosan solution was 15wt%. Gamma irradiation doses of 25, 35, 50, 60 and 70kGy, respectively were exposed to a mixture of PVA/PVP/chitosan to evaluate the effect of irradiation dose on the mechanical properties of hydrogels. Water-soluble chitosan was used to in this experiment. The mechanical properties of hydrogels such as gelation and gel strength was higher when two steps of 'freezing and thawing' and irradiation were used than only 'freezing and thawing' was utilized. Gel content was influenced slightly by PVA/PVP:chitosan composition and irradiation dose, but swelling was done greatly by them. Swelling percent was much increased as the composition of chitosan in PVA/PVP/chitosan increased

  19. In Situ Mineralization of Magnetite Nanoparticles in Chitosan Hydrogel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yongliang; Li, Baoqiang; Zhou, Yu; Jia, Dechang

    2009-09-01

    Based on chelation effect between iron ions and amino groups of chitosan, in situ mineralization of magnetite nanoparticles in chitosan hydrogel under ambient conditions was proposed. The chelation effect between iron ions and amino groups in CS-Fe complex, which led to that chitosan hydrogel exerted a crucial control on the magnetite mineralization, was proved by X-ray photoelectron spectrum. The composition, morphology and size of the mineralized magnetite nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and thermal gravity. The mineralized nanoparticles were nonstoichiometric magnetite with a unit formula of Fe2.85O4 and coated by a thin layer of chitosan. The mineralized magnetite nanoparticles with mean diameter of 13 nm dispersed in chitosan hydrogel uniformly. Magnetization measurement indicated that superparamagnetism behavior was exhibited. These magnetite nanoparticles mineralized in chitosan hydrogel have potential applications in the field of biotechnology. Moreover, this method can also be used to synthesize other kinds of inorganic nanoparticles, such as ZnO, Fe2O3 and hydroxyapatite.

  20. In Situ Mineralization of Magnetite Nanoparticles in Chitosan Hydrogel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Yongliang

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Based on chelation effect between iron ions and amino groups of chitosan, in situ mineralization of magnetite nanoparticles in chitosan hydrogel under ambient conditions was proposed. The chelation effect between iron ions and amino groups in CS–Fe complex, which led to that chitosan hydrogel exerted a crucial control on the magnetite mineralization, was proved by X-ray photoelectron spectrum. The composition, morphology and size of the mineralized magnetite nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and thermal gravity. The mineralized nanoparticles were nonstoichiometric magnetite with a unit formula of Fe2.85O4and coated by a thin layer of chitosan. The mineralized magnetite nanoparticles with mean diameter of 13 nm dispersed in chitosan hydrogel uniformly. Magnetization measurement indicated that superparamagnetism behavior was exhibited. These magnetite nanoparticles mineralized in chitosan hydrogel have potential applications in the field of biotechnology. Moreover, this method can also be used to synthesize other kinds of inorganic nanoparticles, such as ZnO, Fe2O3and hydroxyapatite.

  1. A bioprintable form of chitosan hydrogel for bone tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demirtaş, Tuğrul Tolga; Irmak, Gülseren; Gümüşderelioğlu, Menemşe

    2017-07-13

    Bioprinting can be defined as 3D patterning of living cells and other biologics by filling and assembling them using a computer-aided layer-by-layer deposition approach to fabricate living tissue and organ analogs for tissue engineering. The presence of cells within the ink to use a 'bio-ink' presents the potential to print 3D structures that can be implanted or printed into damaged/diseased bone tissue to promote highly controlled cell-based regeneration and remineralization of bone. In this study, it was shown for the first time that chitosan solution and its composite with nanostructured bone-like hydroxyapatite (HA) can be mixed with cells and printed successfully. MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast cell laden chitosan and chitosan-HA hydrogels, which were printed with the use of an extruder-based bioprinter, were characterized by comparing these hydrogels to alginate and alginate-HA hydrogels. Rheological analysis showed that all groups had viscoelastic properties. It was also shown that under simulated physiological conditions, chitosan and chitosan-HA hydrogels were stable. Also, the viscosity values of the bio-solutions were in an applicable range to be used in 3D bio-printers. Cell viability and proliferation analyses documented that after printing with bio-solutions, cells continued to be viable in all groups. It was observed that cells printed within chitosan-HA composite hydrogel had peak expression levels for early and late stages osteogenic markers. It was concluded that cells within chitosan and chitosan-HA hydrogels had mineralized and differentiated osteogenically after 21 days of culture. It was also discovered that chitosan is superior to alginate, which is the most widely used solution preferred in bioprinting systems, in terms of cell proliferation and differentiation. Thus, applicability and printability of chitosan as a bio-printing solution were clearly demonstrated. Furthermore, it was proven that the presence of bone-like nanostructured HA in

  2. Thermoresponsive chitosan-agarose hydrogel for skin regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miguel, Sónia P; Ribeiro, Maximiano P; Brancal, Hugo; Coutinho, Paula; Correia, Ilídio J

    2014-10-13

    Healing enhancement and pain control are critical issues on wound management. So far, different wound dressings have been developed. Among them, hydrogels are the most applied. Herein, a thermoresponsive hydrogel was produced using chitosan (deacetylation degree 95%) and agarose. Hydrogel bactericidal activity, biocompatibility, morphology, porosity and wettability were characterized by confocal microscopy, MTS assay and SEM. The performance of the hydrogel in the wound healing process was evaluated through in vivo assays, during 21 days. The attained results revealed that hydrogel has a pore size (90-400 μm) compatible with cellular internalization and proliferation. A bactericidal activity was observed for hydrogels containing more than 188 μg/mL of chitosan. The improved healing and the lack of a reactive or a granulomatous inflammatory reaction in skin lesions treated with hydrogel demonstrate its suitability to be used in a near future as a wound dressing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Degradation Behaviour of Gamma Irradiated Poly(Acrylic Acid)-graft-Chitosan Superabsorbent Hydrogel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ria Barleany, Dhena; Ilhami, Alpin; Yusuf Yudanto, Dea; Erizal

    2018-03-01

    A series of superabsorbent hydrogels were prepared from chitosan and partially neutralized acrylic acid at room temperature by gamma irradiation technique. The effect of irradiation and chitosan addition to the degradation behaviour of polymer were investigated. The gel content, swelling capacity, Equillibrium Degree of Swelling (EDS), Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) study were also performed. Natural degradation in soil and thermal degradation by using of TGA analysis were observed. The variation of chitosan compositions were 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 g and the total irradiation doses were 5, 10, 15, and 20 kGy. The highest water capacity of 583.3 g water/g dry hydrogel was resulted from 5 kGy total irradiation dose and 0,5 g addition of chitosan. From the thermal degradation evaluation by using of TGA analysis showed that irradiation dose did not give a significant influence to the degradation rate. The rate of thermal degradation was ranged between 2.42 to 2.55 mg/min. In the natural test of degradation behaviour by using of soil medium, the hydrogel product with chitosan addition was found to have better degradability compared with the poly(acrylic acid) polymer without chitosan.

  4. Enhancement of Curcumin Bioavailability Using Nanocellulose Reinforced Chitosan Hydrogel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thennakoon M. Sampath Udeni Gunathilake

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available A unique biodegradable, superporous, swellable and pH sensitive nanocellulose reinforced chitosan hydrogel with dynamic mechanical properties was prepared for oral administration of curcumin. Curcumin, a less water-soluble drug was used due to the fact that the fast swellable, superporous hydrogel could release a water-insoluble drug to a great extent. CO2 gas foaming was used to fabricate hydrogel as it eradicates using organic solvents. Field emission scanning electron microscope images revealed that the pore size significantly increased with the formation of widely interconnected porous structure in gas foamed hydrogels. The maximum compression of pure chitosan hydrogel was 25.9 ± 1 kPa and it increased to 38.4 ± 1 kPa with the introduction of 0.5% cellulose nanocrystals. In vitro degradation of hydrogels was found dependent on the swelling ratio and the amount of CNC of the hydrogel. All the hydrogels showed maximum swelling ratios greater than 300%. The 0.5% CNC-chitosan hydrogel showed the highest swelling ratio of 438% ± 11%. FTIR spectrum indicated that there is no interaction between drug and ingredients present in hydrogels. The drug release occurred in non-Fickian (anomalous manner in simulated gastric medium. The drug release profiles of hydrogels are consistent with the data obtained from the swelling studies. After gas foaming of the hydrogel, the drug loading efficiency increased from 41% ± 2.4% to 50% ± 2.0% and release increased from 0.74 to 1.06 mg/L. The drug release data showed good fitting to Ritger-Peppas model. Moreover, the results revealed that the drug maintained its chemical activity after in vitro release. According to the results of this study, CNC reinforced chitosan hydrogel can be suggested to improve the bioavailability of curcumin for the absorption from stomach and upper intestinal tract.

  5. Radiation Synthesis and Application of Carboxymethylated Chitosan Hydrogels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Noh, Young Chang

    2007-08-15

    This research proposal is to investigate radiation effect of carboxymethylated chitosan in order to obtain the crosslinked carboxymethylated chitosan. The application studies on CM-chitosan- based intelligent hydrogels will be tried too. Chitin is the most abundant natural amino polysaccharide and estimated to be produced annually almost as much as cellulose. Chitosan is the deacetylated product of chitin showing the enhanced solubility in dilute acids, further, carboxymethylated chitosan (CM-chitosan) can solve in both acidic and basic physiological media, which might be good candidates as a kind of biomedical materials. Radiation technique is an important method for modification of chitin derivatives. It includes radiation-induced degradation, grafting, and crosslinking. It was found that CM-chitosan degraded in solid state or dilute aqueous solution under irradiation, but crosslinked at paste-like sate when the concentration of CM-chitosan is more than 10%. Both degraded and crosslinked CM-chitosan have antibacterial activity, so it is essential to investigate in detail the radiation effect of CM-chitosan. Study on radiation effect of CM-chitosan in different condition is beneficial to modification of CM-chitosan by irradiation technique. However, little study was reported on radiation crosslinking and application of CM-chitosan. The radiation-closslinked CM-chitosan synthesized from chitosan was characterized by a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis. A kinetic swelling in water and the mechanical properties such as a gelation, water absorptivity, and gel strength were also investigated. For the preparation of crosslinked CM-chitosan by using gamma irradiation, the concentration of an aqueous CM-chitosan is above 10wt%. We confirmed that the gel contents was in the range of 15-63%, and when the irradiation dose was increased, the degree of gelation was decreased by disintegration of the CM-chitosan. In conclusion, we developed a new

  6. Radiation Synthesis and Application of Carboxymethylated Chitosan Hydrogels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noh, Young Chang

    2007-08-01

    This research proposal is to investigate radiation effect of carboxymethylated chitosan in order to obtain the crosslinked carboxymethylated chitosan. The application studies on CM-chitosan- based intelligent hydrogels will be tried too. Chitin is the most abundant natural amino polysaccharide and estimated to be produced annually almost as much as cellulose. Chitosan is the deacetylated product of chitin showing the enhanced solubility in dilute acids, further, carboxymethylated chitosan (CM-chitosan) can solve in both acidic and basic physiological media, which might be good candidates as a kind of biomedical materials. Radiation technique is an important method for modification of chitin derivatives. It includes radiation-induced degradation, grafting, and crosslinking. It was found that CM-chitosan degraded in solid state or dilute aqueous solution under irradiation, but crosslinked at paste-like sate when the concentration of CM-chitosan is more than 10%. Both degraded and crosslinked CM-chitosan have antibacterial activity, so it is essential to investigate in detail the radiation effect of CM-chitosan. Study on radiation effect of CM-chitosan in different condition is beneficial to modification of CM-chitosan by irradiation technique. However, little study was reported on radiation crosslinking and application of CM-chitosan. The radiation-closslinked CM-chitosan synthesized from chitosan was characterized by a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis. A kinetic swelling in water and the mechanical properties such as a gelation, water absorptivity, and gel strength were also investigated. For the preparation of crosslinked CM-chitosan by using gamma irradiation, the concentration of an aqueous CM-chitosan is above 10wt%. We confirmed that the gel contents was in the range of 15-63%, and when the irradiation dose was increased, the degree of gelation was decreased by disintegration of the CM-chitosan. In conclusion, we developed a new

  7. Rapidly photo-cross-linkable chitosan hydrogel for peripheral neurosurgeries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rickett, Todd A; Amoozgar, Zohreh; Tuchek, Chad A; Park, Joonyoung; Yeo, Yoon; Shi, Riyi

    2011-01-10

    Restoring continuity to severed peripheral nerves is crucial to regeneration and enables functional recovery. However, the two most common agents for coaptation, sutures and fibrin glues, have drawbacks such as inflammation, pathogenesis, and dehiscence. Chitosan-based adhesives are a promising alternative, reported to have good cytocompatibility and favorable immunogenicity. A photo-cross-linkable hydrogel based on chitosan is proposed as a new adhesive for peripheral nerve anastomosis. Two Az-chitosans were synthesized by conjugating 4-azidobenzoic acid with low (LMW, 15 kDa) and high (HMW, 50-190 kDa) molecular weight chitosans. These solutions formed a hydrogel in less than 1 min under UV light. The LMW Az-chitosan was more tightly cross-linked than the HMW variant, undergoing significantly less swelling and possessing a higher rheological storage modulus, and both Az-chitosan gels were stiffer than commercial fibrin glue. Severed nerves repaired by Az-chitosan adhesives tolerated longitudinal forces comparable or superior to fibrin glue. Adhesive exposure to intact nerves and neural cell culture showed both Az-chitosans to be nontoxic in the acute (minutes) and chronic (days) time frames. These results demonstrate that Az-chitosan hydrogels are cytocompatible and mechanically suitable for use as bioadhesives in peripheral neurosurgeries.

  8. External stimuli response on a novel chitosan hydrogel crosslinked ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The influence of external stimuli such as pH, temperature, and ionic strength of the swelling media on equilibrium swelling properties has been observed. Hydrogels showed a typical pH and temperature responsive behaviour such as low pH and high temperature has maximum swelling while high pH and low temperature ...

  9. Synthesis of stimuli-responsive chitosan-based hydrogels by Diels-Alder cross-linking `click´ reaction as potential carriers for drug administration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guaresti, O; García-Astrain, C; Aguirresarobe, R H; Eceiza, A; Gabilondo, N

    2018-03-01

    Stimuli-responsive chitosan-based hydrogels for biomedical applications using the Diels-Alder reaction were prepared. Furan modified chitosan (Cs-Fu) was cross-linked with polyetheramine derived bismaleimide at different equivalent ratios in order to determine the effect in the swelling and release properties on the final CsFu:BMI hydrogels. The Diels Alder cross-linking reaction was monitored by UV-vis spectroscopy and rheological measurements. Both the sol-gel transition value and the final storage modulus for the different formulations were similar and close to 40 min and 400 Pa, respectively. On the contrary, the swelling degree was found to be strongly dependent on the amount of bismaleimide, mainly in acidic medium, where the increased cross-linking reduced the swelling value in 25%, but maintaining the sustained drug release in the simulated gastrointestinal environment. Our study suggested that these DA-cross-linked chitosan hydrogels could be potential carriers for targeted drug administration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Microwave-enhanced synthesis of biodegradable multifunctional chitosan hydrogels for wastewater treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Piatkowski

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Chitosan, a derivative of chitin, is a biodegradable polymer known of its favorable properties, applicable in medicine and industry. Commonly obtained chitosan hydrogels are of various swelling capacity, and may bind only anions losing their susceptibility to biodegradation. Hydrogels are mostly obtained using toxic crosslinkers, which pollute environment due to waste generation during their synthesis. In the present article a novel, waste-free method for obtaining chitosan hydrogels under microwave irradiation, is described. Their chemical and morphological structure, swelling properties, sorption capability of a model dye and cadmium ions are described, and kinetic studies, were carried out. Biodegradability of the obtained hydrogels was investigated with the Sturm Test method. As a result, multifunctional chitosan hydrogels with both negative and positive surface charges and increased ability of anions and cations binding, were obtained. Materials were fully biodegradable, capable to absorb high amounts of water, as well as to remove various water contaminants.

  11. Properties of radiation-synthesized polyvinylpyrrolidone/chitosan hydrogel blends

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mahmud, Maznah [School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 43600 Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia); Radiation Processing Technology Division, Malaysian Nuclear Agency, 43000 Kajang, Selangor (Malaysia); Daik, Rusli [School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 43600 Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia); Adam, Zainah [Radiation Processing Technology Division, Malaysian Nuclear Agency, 43000 Kajang, Selangor (Malaysia)

    2015-09-25

    Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP)-crosslinked chitosan hydrogels were prepared by gamma radiation at various doses; 1, 3 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30kGy. Gamma radiation was used as a crosslinking tool which requires no chemical initiator, no heating process and need no purification step on the end products obtained. The hydrogel formulations were composed of 6% chitosan with average molecular weight (Mw) = 48 800 g/mol and 14% PVP with Mw = 10 000 g/mol in 2% lactic acid. Physical properties of hydrogels such as gel fraction and swelling property at pH 5.5 and pH 7.0 as well as syneresis activity were determined. It was found that different radiation dose induces different effect on hydrogels’ network formed. Morphological study of hydrogels has been carried out by scanning electron microscope (SEM). From these preliminary evaluations, it can be concluded that gamma radiation is an effective tool for network development of hydrogels and it also induces enhancement on characteristics of hydrogels synthesized.

  12. Acceleration of gelation and promotion of mineralization of chitosan hydrogels by alkaline phosphatase

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Douglas, T.E.L.; Skwarczynska, A.; Modrzejewska, Z.; Balcaen, L.; Schaubroeck, D.; Lycke, S.; Vanhaecke, F.; Vandenabeele, P.; Dubruel, P.; Jansen, J.A.; Leeuwenburgh, S.C.G.

    2013-01-01

    Thermosensitive chitosan hydrogels containing sodium beta-glycerophosphate (beta-GP), whose gelation is induced by increasing temperature to body temperature, were functionalized by incorporation of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), an enzyme involved in mineralization of bone. ALP incorporation led to

  13. Co-assembly of chitosan and phospholipids into hybrid hydrogels

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mendes, Ana Carina Loureiro; Shekarforoush, Elhamalsadat; Engwer, Christoph

    2016-01-01

    Novel hybrid hydrogels were formed by adding chitosan (Ch) to phospholipids (P) self-assembled particles in lactic acid. The effect of the phospholipid concentration on the hydrogel properties was investigated and was observed to affect the rate of hydrogel formation and viscoelastic properties...

  14. Investigation of the surface morphology of biocompatible chitosan-based hydrogels and xerogels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhuravleva, Yulia Yu.; Malinkina, Olga N.; Shipovskaya, Anna B.

    2018-04-01

    Our biocompatible hydrogel systems obtained by the sol-gel technqiue and based on chitosan and silicon polyolates are promising for medical and biological applications. The surface microrelief of these sol-gel materials (hydrogels and xerogels) based on chitosan and silicon tetraglycerolate was explored by AFM and SEM. A significant influence of the component ratio in the mixed system on the morphology and surface profile of the hydrogels and xerogels prepared therefrom was established. An increased content of the structure-forming component (chitosan) in the system was shown to increase the roughness scale of the hydrogel surface and to promote the porosity of the xerogel structure.

  15. Synthesis of PVA-Chitosan Hydrogels for Wound Dressing Using Gamma Irradiation. Part II: Antibacterial Activity of PVA/Chitosan Hydrogel Synthesized by Gamma Irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahlous, M.; Tahtat, D.; Benamer, S.; Nacer Khodja, A.; Larbi Youcef, S.

    2010-01-01

    Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is a synthetic polymer used in a large range of medical, commercial, industrial and food applications, manufacture of paper products, surgical threads, wound care, and food-contact applications. It was recently used as a coating for dietary supplements and pharmaceutical capsules. Cross-linked PVA microspheres are also used for controlled release of oral drugs. Chitin, a polysaccharide from which chitosan is derived, is the second most abundant natural polysaccharide after cellulose. Chitin is obtained from the exoskeletons (crab, shrimps and squid pen) fungi, insects, and some algae. Chitosan, a non toxic and biocompatible cationic polysaccharide, is produced by partial deacetylation of chitin; these properties of chitosan provide high potential for many applications. Chitosan has been widely used in vastly diverse fields, such as in biomedical applications drug delivery in agriculture metal ion sorption. The most important characteristic of chitosan is the deacetylation degree (DD) which influences its physical and chemical behaviors. Evaluation of DD can be carried out by FT-IR spectroscopy potentiometric titration, first derivative UV spectrophotometry, 1 H-NMR and X-ray diffraction. Chitosan extracted from squid pen chitin is inherently purer than crustacean chitosans, it does not contain large amounts of calcium carbonate, and it does contain large amounts of protein. The purity of squid pen chitosan makes it particularly suitable for medical and cosmetic application. Application of radiation for the formation of hydrogels for medical use offers a unique possibility to combine the formation and sterilization of the product in a single technological step. The main aim of this study is to synthesis poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels containing different moieties of chitosan by gamma irradiation at a dose of 25 kGy, and investigate the antibacterial effect of chitosan contained in the hydrogel

  16. Synthesis and Characterization of 5-Fluorouracil-Loaded Glutaraldehyde Crosslinked Chitosan Hydrogels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zehra ÖZBAŞ

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available In this work, the characterization and drug release behavior of 5-fluorouracil-loaded glutaraldehyde-crosslinked chitosan hydrogels have been studied. The structure of the hydrogels were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction, also their properties were compared with those of the drug-unloaded hydrogels. The equilibrium swelling studies and drug release profiles were determined at 37°C in two different pHs (2.1 and 7.4. The results indicated that increased chitosan concentration in the hydrogel decreased the swelling and drug release values and the hydrogels released nearly the same amount of 5-fluorouracil in both acidic (~59% and basic medium (~50%.

  17. Synthesis of chitosan-PEO hydrogels via mesylation and regioselective Cu(I)-catalyzed cycloaddition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tirino, Pasquale; Laurino, Rosaria; Maglio, Giovanni; Malinconico, Mario; d'Ayala, Giovanna Gomez; Laurienzo, Paola

    2014-11-04

    In this work, a well-defined hydrogel was developed by coupling chitosan with PEO through "click chemistry". Azide functionalities were introduced onto chitosan, through mesylation of C-6 hydroxyl groups, and reacted with a di-alkyne PEO by a regioselective Cu(I)-catalyzed cycloaddition. This synthetic approach allowed us to obtain a hydrogel with a controlled crosslinking degree. In fact, the extent of coupling is strictly dependent on the amount of azido groups on chitosan, which in turn can be easily modulated. The obtained hydrogel, with a crosslinking degree of around 90%, showed interesting swelling properties. With respect to chitosan hydrogels reported in literature, a considerably higher equilibrium uptake was reached (940%). The possibility to control the crosslinking degree of hydrogel and its capability to rapidly absorb high amounts of water make this material suitable for several applications, such as controlled drug release and wound healing. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  18. Preparation and properties of fast temperature-responsive soy protein/PNIPAAm IPN hydrogels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liu Yong

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The interpenetrating polymer network of fast temperature-responsive hydrogels based on soy protein and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide were successfully prepared using the sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3 solutions as the reaction medium. The structure and properties of the hydrogels were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and thermal gravimetric analysis. The swelling and deswelling kinetics were also investigated in detail. The results have shown that the proposed hydrogels had high porous structure, good miscibility and thermal stability, and fast temperature responsivity. The presence of NaHCO3 had little effect on the volume phase transition temperature (VPTT of the hydrogels, and the VPTTs were at about 32°C. Compared with the traditional hydrogels, the proposed hydrogels had much faster swelling and deswelling rate. The swelling mechanism of the hydrogels was the non-Fickian diffusion. This fast temperature-responsive hydrogels may have potential applications in the field of biomedical materials.

  19. Adsorption of Congo red dye onto antimicrobial terephthaloyl thiourea cross-linked chitosan hydrogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Harby, Nouf F; Ibrahim, Shaimaa M A; Mohamed, Nadia A

    2017-11-01

    Adsorption capacity of three antimicrobial terephthaloyl thiourea cross-linked chitosan hydrogels for Congo red dye removal from its aqueous solution has been investigated for the first time in this work. These hydrogels were prepared by reacting chitosan with various amounts of terephthaloyl diisothiocyanate cross-linker. The effect of the hydrogel structural variations and several dye adsorption processing parameters to achieve the best adsorption capacity were investigated. The hydrogels' structural variations were obtained by varying their terephthaloyl thiourea moieties content. The processing variables included initial concentration of the dye solution, temperature and time of exposure to the dye. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms showed that the sorption processes were better fitted by the pseudo-second-order equation and the Langmuir equation, respectively. On the basis of the Langmuir analysis Congo red dye gave the maximum sorption capacity of 44.248 mg/g. The results obtained confirmed that the sorption phenomena are most likely to be controlled by chemisorption process. The adsorption reaction was endothermic and spontaneous according to the calculated results of adsorption thermodynamics.

  20. REVIEW: CHITOSAN BASED HYDROGEL POLYMERIC BEADS – AS DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manjusha Rani

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Chitosan obtained by alkaline deacetylation of chitin is a non-toxic, biocompatible, and biodegradable natural polymer. Chitosan-based hydrogel polymeric beads have been extensively studied as micro- or nano-particulate carriers in the pharmaceutical and medical fields, where they have shown promise for drug delivery as a result of their controlled and sustained release properties, as well as biocompatibility with tissue and cells. To introduce desired properties and enlarge the scope of the potential applications of chitosan, graft copolymerization with natural or synthetic polymers on it has been carried out, and also, various chitosan derivatives have been utilized to form beads. The desired kinetics, duration, and rate of drug release up to therapeutical level from polymeric beads are limited by specific conditions such as beads material and their composition, bead preparation method, amount of drug loading, drug solubility, and drug polymer interaction. The present review summarizes most of the available reports about compositional and structural effects of chitosan-based hydrogel polymeric beads on swelling, drug loading, and releasing properties. From the studies reviewed it is concluded that chitosan-based hydrogel polymeric beads are promising drug delivery systems.

  1. Interactions of cross-linked and uncross-linked chitosan hydrogels ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The swelling equilibrium of Chitosan and sodium tripolyphosphate (NaTPP) cross-linked chitosan hydrogels in aqueous solutions of surfactants differing in structure and hydrophobicity at 250C is reported. Anionic surfactant sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), the cationic surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB) ...

  2. Heparin binding chitosan derivatives for production of pro-angiogenic hydrogels for promoting tissue healing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yar, Muhammad, E-mail: drmyar@ciitlahore.edu.pk [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Shahzad, Sohail [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Department of Chemistry, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100 (Pakistan); Shahzadi, Lubna [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Shahzad, Sohail Anjum [Department of Chemistry, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Abbottabad 22060 (Pakistan); Mahmood, Nasir [Department of Allied Health Sciences and Chemical Pathology, University of Health Sciences, Lahore (Pakistan); Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of Health Sciences, Lahore (Pakistan); Chaudhry, Aqif Anwar [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Rehman, Ihtesham ur [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Materials Science and Engineering, North Campus, University of Sheffield, Broad Lane, Sheffield S3 7HQ (United Kingdom); MacNeil, Sheila, E-mail: s.macneil@sheffield.ac.uk [Materials Science and Engineering, North Campus, University of Sheffield, Broad Lane, Sheffield S3 7HQ (United Kingdom)

    2017-05-01

    Our aim was to develop a biocompatible hydrogel that could be soaked in heparin and placed on wound beds to improve the vasculature of poorly vascularized wound beds. In the current study, a methodology was developed for the synthesis of a new chitosan derivative (CSD-1). Hydrogels were synthesized by blending CSD-1 for either 4 or 24 h with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The physical/chemical interactions and the presence of specific functional groups were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance ({sup 1}H NMR). The porous nature of the hydrogels was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that these hydrogels have good thermal stability which was slightly increased as the blending time was increased. Hydrogels produced with 24 h of blending supported cell attachment more and could be loaded with heparin to induce new blood vessel formation in a chick chorionic allantoic membrane assay. - Highlights: • Chitosan based hydrogels were designed to stimulate angiogenesis. • Two new derivatives of chitosan were produced using a Mannich type reaction. • Blending a chitosan derivative with PVA gave a porous biocompatible hydrogel. • Heparin bound to the hydrogel on immersion changing its morphology. • Heparin loaded hydrogel stimulated blood vessel formation in a chick model.

  3. Regulating drug release from pH- and temperature-responsive electrospun CTS-g-PNIPAAm/poly(ethylene oxide) hydrogel nanofibers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan, Huihua; Li, Biyun; Liang, Kai; Lou, Xiangxin; Zhang, Yanzhong

    2014-01-01

    Temperature- and pH-responsive polymers have been widely investigated as smart drug release systems. However, dual-sensitive polymers in the form of nanofibers, which is advantageous in achieving rapid transfer of stimulus to the smart polymeric structures for regulating drug release behavior, have rarely been explored. In this study, chitosan-graft-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (CTS-g-PNIPAAm) copolymer was synthesized by using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxy succinimide (NHS) as grafting agents to graft carboxyl-terminated PNIPAAm (PNIPAAm-COOH) chains onto the CTS biomacromolecules, and then CTS-g-PNIPAAm with or without bovine serum albumin (BSA) was fabricated into nanofibers through electrospinning using poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO, 10 wt%) as a fiber-forming facilitating additive. The BSA laden CTS-g-PNIPAAm/PEO hydrogel nanofibers were tested to determine their drug release profiles by varying pH and temperature. Finally, cytotoxicity of the CTS-g-PNIPAAm/PEO hydrogel nanofibers was evaluated by assaying the L929 cell proliferation using the MTT method. It was found that the synthesized CTS-g-PNIPAAm possessed a temperature-induced phase transition and lower critical solution temperature (LCST) at 32° C in aqueous solutions. The rate of BSA release could be well modulated by altering the environmental pH and temperature of the hydrogel nanofibers. The CTS-g-PNIPAAm/PEO hydrogel nanofibers supported L929 cell growth, indicative of appropriate cytocompatibility. Our current work could pave the way towards developing multi-stimuli responsive nanofibrous smart materials for potential applications in the fields of drug delivery and tissue engineering. (paper)

  4. Supramolecular hydrogel formation between chitosan and hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrin via Diels-Alder reaction and its drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Mengke; Wang, Jinpeng; Jin, Zhengyu

    2018-07-15

    Chitosan-cyclodextrin hydrogel (CFCD) was prepared via Diels-Alder reaction between furfural functionalized chitosan (CF) and N-maleoyl alanine functionalized hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrin (HPCD-AMI) in aqueous media without any catalyst or initiator. The CF and HPCD-AMI were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The resultant CFCD hydrogel was characterized in terms of thermal peripteries, microstructure, rheology behavior, and swelling capacity. The rheology analysis found that the storage modulus G' ranged from 1pa to 1200pa as the degree of furfural substitute on chitosan increased from 2.6% to 28.3%, indicating the hydrogel strength can be tuned readily by reaction stoichiometry. The swelling behaviors proved that CFCD hydrogel was pH-responsive with low swelling capacity, which would be preferable for drug delivery. Drug adsorption analysis showed the introduction of cyclodextrin into CFCD hydrogels promoted drug adsorption capacity. In addition, methyl orange cumulative release in PBS buffer was only 48.85% after 24h, suggesting CFCD hydrogel had good sustained release capacity on the loaded drug. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Temperature responsive hydrogel magnetic nanocomposites for hyperthermia and metal extraction applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reddy, N. Narayana, E-mail: nagireddynarayana@gmail.com [Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia@CRIB, Largo Barsanti e Matteucci 53, 80125 Napoli (Italy); Ravindra, S. [Department of Physics, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of South Africa, Johannesburg 1709 (South Africa); Reddy, N. Madhava [Department of Environmental Science, Gates Institute of Technology, NH-7, Gooty, Anantapuram, Andhra Pradesh (India); Rajinikanth, V. [Department of Physics, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of South Africa, Johannesburg 1709 (South Africa); Raju, K. Mohana [Synthetic Polymer Laboratory, Department of Polymer Science & Technology, S.K. University, Anantapuram, Andhra Pradesh (India); Vallabhapurapu, Vijaya Srinivasu [Department of Physics, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of South Africa, Johannesburg 1709 (South Africa)

    2015-11-15

    The present work deals with the development of temperature and magnetic responsive hydrogel networks based on poly (N-isopropylacrylamide)/acrylamido propane sulfonic acid. The hydrogel matrices are synthesized by polymerizing N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) monomer in the presence of acrylamido propane sulphonicacid (AMPS) using a cross-linker (N,N-methylenebisacrylamide, MBA) and redox initiating system [ammonium persulphate (APS)/tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA)]. The magnetic nanoparticles are generated throughout the hydrogel networks using in situ method by incorporating iron ions and subsequent treatment with ammonia. A series of hydrogel-magnetic nanocomposites (HGMNC) are developed by varying AMPS composition. The synthesized hydrogel magnetic nanocomposites (HGMNC) are characterized by using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermal Analyses and Electron Microscopy analysis (Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscope). The metal extraction capacities of the prepared hydrogel (HG) and hydrogel magnetic nanocomposites (HGMNC) were studied at different temperatures. The results suggest that HGMNCs have higher extraction capacity compared to HG and HG loaded iron ions. This data also reveals that the extraction of metals by hydrogel magnetic nanocomposites (HGMNCs) is higher at higher temperatures than room temperature. The prepared HGMNCs are also subjected to hyperthermia (cancer therapy) studies. - Highlights: • We have developed temperature responsive hydrogel magnetic nanocomposites. • Addition of AMPS monomer to this magnetic hydrogel enhances the temperature sensitivity to 40–43 °C. • Similarly the sulfonic groups present in the AMPS units enhances the swelling ratio of magnetic hydrogels. • AMPS acts as good stabilizing agent for nanoparticles in the magnetic nanogel.

  6. Temperature responsive hydrogel magnetic nanocomposites for hyperthermia and metal extraction applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reddy, N. Narayana; Ravindra, S.; Reddy, N. Madhava; Rajinikanth, V.; Raju, K. Mohana; Vallabhapurapu, Vijaya Srinivasu

    2015-01-01

    The present work deals with the development of temperature and magnetic responsive hydrogel networks based on poly (N-isopropylacrylamide)/acrylamido propane sulfonic acid. The hydrogel matrices are synthesized by polymerizing N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) monomer in the presence of acrylamido propane sulphonicacid (AMPS) using a cross-linker (N,N-methylenebisacrylamide, MBA) and redox initiating system [ammonium persulphate (APS)/tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA)]. The magnetic nanoparticles are generated throughout the hydrogel networks using in situ method by incorporating iron ions and subsequent treatment with ammonia. A series of hydrogel-magnetic nanocomposites (HGMNC) are developed by varying AMPS composition. The synthesized hydrogel magnetic nanocomposites (HGMNC) are characterized by using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermal Analyses and Electron Microscopy analysis (Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscope). The metal extraction capacities of the prepared hydrogel (HG) and hydrogel magnetic nanocomposites (HGMNC) were studied at different temperatures. The results suggest that HGMNCs have higher extraction capacity compared to HG and HG loaded iron ions. This data also reveals that the extraction of metals by hydrogel magnetic nanocomposites (HGMNCs) is higher at higher temperatures than room temperature. The prepared HGMNCs are also subjected to hyperthermia (cancer therapy) studies. - Highlights: • We have developed temperature responsive hydrogel magnetic nanocomposites. • Addition of AMPS monomer to this magnetic hydrogel enhances the temperature sensitivity to 40–43 °C. • Similarly the sulfonic groups present in the AMPS units enhances the swelling ratio of magnetic hydrogels. • AMPS acts as good stabilizing agent for nanoparticles in the magnetic nanogel

  7. A study of chitosan hydrogel with embedded mesoporous silica nanoparticles loaded by ibuprofen as a dual stimuli-responsive drug release system for surface coating of titanium implants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Pengkun; Liu, Hongyu; Deng, Hongbing; Xiao, Ling; Qin, Caiqin; Du, Yumin; Shi, Xiaowen

    2014-11-01

    In this study, the complex pH and electro responsive system made of chitosan hydrogel with embedded mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) was evaluated as a tunable drug release system. As a model drug, ibuprofen (IB) was used; its adsorption in MSNs was evidenced by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). In order to prepare the complex drug release system, the loaded particles IB-MSNs were dispersed in chitosan solution and then the complex IB-MSNs/chitosan film of 2mm thickness was deposited as a hydrogel on the titanium electrode. The codeposition of components was performed under a negative biasing of the titanium electrode at -0.75 mA/cm2 current density during 30 min. The IB release from the IB-MSNs/chitosan hydrogel film was studied as dependent on pH of the release media and electrical conditions applied to the titanium plate. When incubating the complex hydrogel film in buffers with different pH, the IB release followed a near zero-order profile, though its kinetics varied. Compared to the spontaneous IB release from the hydrogel in 0.9% NaCl solution (at 0 V), the application of negative biases to the coated titanium plate had profound effluences on the release behavior. The release was retarded when -1.0 V was applied, but a faster kinetics was observed at -5.0 V. These results imply that a rapid, mild and facile electrical process for covering titanium implants by complex IB-MSNs/chitosan hydrogel films can be used for controlled drug delivery applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. pH responsive N-succinyl chitosan/Poly (acrylamide-co-acrylic acid hydrogels and in vitro release of 5-fluorouracil.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shahid Bashir

    Full Text Available There has been significant progress in the last few decades in addressing the biomedical applications of polymer hydrogels. Particularly, stimuli responsive hydrogels have been inspected as elegant drug delivery systems capable to deliver at the appropriate site of action within the specific time. The present work describes the synthesis of pH responsive semi-interpenetrating network (semi-IPN hydrogels of N-succinyl-chitosan (NSC via Schiff base mechanism using glutaraldehyde as a crosslinking agent and Poly (acrylamide-co-acrylic acid(Poly (AAm-co-AA was embedded within the N-succinyl chitosan network. The physico-chemical interactions were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR, X-ray diffraction (XRD, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, and field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM. The synthesized hydrogels constitute porous structure. The swelling ability was analyzed in physiological mediums of pH 7.4 and pH 1.2 at 37°C. Swelling properties of formulations with various amounts of NSC/ Poly (AAm-co-AA and crosslinking agent at pH 7.4 and pH 1.2 were investigated. Hydrogels showed higher swelling ratios at pH 7.4 while lower at pH 1.2. Swelling kinetics and diffusion parameters were also determined. Drug loading, encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro release of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU from the synthesized hydrogels were observed. In vitro release profile revealed the significant influence of pH, amount of NSC, Poly (AAm-co-AA, and crosslinking agent on the release of 5-FU. Accordingly, rapid and large release of drug was observed at pH 7.4 than at pH 1.2. The maximum encapsulation efficiency and release of 5-FU from SP2 were found to be 72.45% and 85.99%, respectively. Kinetics of drug release suggested controlled release mechanism of 5-FU is according to trend of non-Fickian. From the above results, it can be concluded that the synthesized hydrogels have capability to adapt their potential exploitation as targeted oral drug

  9. Characterization of human adipose tissue-derived stem cells in vitro culture and in vivo differentiation in a temperature-sensitive chitosan/β- glycerophosphate/collagen hybrid hydrogel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Song, Kedong, E-mail: Kedongsong@dlut.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian R& D Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China); Li, Liying; Yan, Xinyu; Zhang, Wen; Zhang, Yu [State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian R& D Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China); Wang, Yiwei [Burns Research Group, ANZAC Research Institute, University of Sydney, Concord, NSW, 2139 (Australia); Liu, Tianqing, E-mail: liutq@dlut.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian R& D Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China)

    2017-01-01

    In this study, the interaction of human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) with chitosan/β-glycerophosphate/collagen (C/GP/Co) hybrid hydrogel was test, followed by investigating the capability of engineered adipose tissue formation using this ADSCs seeded hydrogel. The ADSCs were harvested and mixed with a C/GP/Co hydrogel followed by a gelation at 37 °C and an in vitro culture. The results showed that the ADSCs within C/GP/Co hydrogels achieved a 30% of expansion over 7 days in culture medium and encapsulated cell in C/GP/Co hydrogel demonstrated a characteristic morphology with high viability over 5 days. C/GP/Co hydrogel were subcutaneous injected into SD-rats to assess the biocompatibility. The induced ADSCs-C/GP/Co hydrogel and non-induced ADSCs-C/GP/Co hydrogel were subcutaneously injected into nude mice for detecting potential of adipogenic differentiation. It has shown that C/GP/Co hydrogel were well tolerated in SD rats where they had persisted over 4 weeks post implantation. Histology analysis indicated that induced ADSCs-C/GP/Co hydrogel has a greater number of adipocytes and vascularized adipose tissues compared with non-induced ADSCs-C/GP/Co hydrogel. - Highlights: • The hydrogel scaffold was produced using chitosan, β-glycerophosphate and collagen. • This novel hydrogel is in liquid phase at low temperature and is gelatinized at 37 °C. • The new hydrogel provides ADSCs a favorable 3D environment with highly maintenance of proliferation and cytoactive. • ADSCs seeded hydrogel differentiated into adipose tissue, indicating favorable ability of adipogenesis. • This attractive property of C/GP/CO hydrogel points to its value as an excellent scaffold for tissue engineering.

  10. Structural and biological properties of thermosensitive chitosan-graphene hybrid hydrogels for sustained drug delivery applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saeednia, Leyla; Yao, Li; Berndt, Marcus; Cluff, Kim; Asmatulu, Ramazan

    2017-09-01

    Chitosan has the ability to make injectable thermosensitive hydrogels which has been highly investigated for drug delivery applications. The addition of nanoparticles is one way to increase the mechanical strength of thermosensitive chitosan hydrogel and subsequently and control the burst release of drug. Graphene nanoparticles have shown unique mechanical, optical and electrical properties which can be exploited for biomedical applications, especially in drug delivery. This study, have focused on the mechanical properties of a thermosensitive and injectable hybrid chitosan hydrogel incorporated with graphene nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) have been used for morphological and chemical characterization of graphene infused chitosan hydrogels. The cell viability and cytotoxicity of graphene-contained hydrogels were analyzed using the alamarBlue ® technique. In-vitro methotrexate (MTX) release was investigated from MTX-loaded hybrid hydrogels as well. As a last step, to evaluate their efficiency as a cancer treatment delivery system, an in vitro anti-tumor test was also carried out using MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. Results confirmed that a thermosensitive chitosan-graphene hybrid hydrogel can be used as a potential breast cancer therapy system for controlled delivery of methotrexate. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 2381-2390, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Effect of pH on chitosan hydrogel polymer network structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Hongcheng; Matysiak, Silvina

    2017-06-29

    Chitosan is a molecule that can form water-filled 3D polymer networks with a wide range of applications. A new coarse-grained model for chitosan hydrogel was developed to explore its pH-dependent self-assembly behavior and mechanical properties. Our results indicate that the underlying polymer physical crosslinking pattern induced by solution pH has a significant effect on hydrogel elastic moduli. With this model, we obtain pH-dependent structural and mechanical property changes in agreement with experimental observations, and provide a molecular mechanism behind the changes in polymer crosslinking patterns.

  12. Chitosan-dextran sulfate hydrogels as a potential carrier for probiotics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yucel Falco, Cigdem; Falkman, Peter; Risbo, Jens

    2017-01-01

    Physical and chemical (crosslinked with genipin) hydrogels based on chitosan and dextran sulfate were developed and characterized as novel bio-materials suitable for probiotic encapsulation. The swelling of the hydrogels was dependent on the composition and weakly influenced by the pH of the media...

  13. Enhanced mechanical properties of thermosensitive chitosan hydrogel by silk fibers for cartilage tissue engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mirahmadi, Fereshteh; Tafazzoli-Shadpour, Mohammad; Shokrgozar, Mohammad Ali; Bonakdar, Shahin

    2013-01-01

    Articular cartilage has limited repair capability following traumatic injuries and current methods of treatment remain inefficient. Reconstructing cartilage provides a new way for cartilage repair and natural polymers are often used as scaffold because of their biocompatibility and biofunctionality. In this study, we added degummed chopped silk fibers and electrospun silk fibers to the thermosensitive chitosan/glycerophosphate hydrogels to reinforce two hydrogel constructs which were used as scaffold for hyaline cartilage regeneration. The gelation temperature and gelation time of hydrogel were analyzed by the rheometer and vial tilting method. Mechanical characterization was measured by uniaxial compression, indentation and dynamic mechanical analysis assay. Chondrocytes were then harvested from the knee joint of the New Zealand white rabbits and cultured in constructs. The cell proliferation, viability, production of glycosaminoglycans and collagen type II were assessed. The results showed that mechanical properties of the hydrogel were significantly enhanced when a hybrid with two layers of electrospun silk fibers was made. The results of GAG and collagen type II in cell-seeded scaffolds indicate support of the chondrogenic phenotype for chondrocytes with a significant increase in degummed silk fiber–hydrogel composite for GAG content and in two-layer electrospun fiber–hydrogel composite for Col II. It was concluded that these two modified scaffolds could be employed for cartilage tissue engineering. - Highlights: • Chitosan hydrogel composites fabricated by two forms of silk fiber • Silk fibers provide structural support for the hydrogel matrix. • The mechanical properties of hydrogel significantly improved by associating with silk. • Production of GAG and collagen type II was demonstrated within the scaffolds

  14. Enhanced mechanical properties of thermosensitive chitosan hydrogel by silk fibers for cartilage tissue engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mirahmadi, Fereshteh [Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); National Cell Bank of Iran, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Tafazzoli-Shadpour, Mohammad, E-mail: Tafazoli@aut.ac.ir [Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shokrgozar, Mohammad Ali, E-mail: mashokrgozar@pasteur.ac.ir [National Cell Bank of Iran, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Bonakdar, Shahin [National Cell Bank of Iran, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2013-12-01

    Articular cartilage has limited repair capability following traumatic injuries and current methods of treatment remain inefficient. Reconstructing cartilage provides a new way for cartilage repair and natural polymers are often used as scaffold because of their biocompatibility and biofunctionality. In this study, we added degummed chopped silk fibers and electrospun silk fibers to the thermosensitive chitosan/glycerophosphate hydrogels to reinforce two hydrogel constructs which were used as scaffold for hyaline cartilage regeneration. The gelation temperature and gelation time of hydrogel were analyzed by the rheometer and vial tilting method. Mechanical characterization was measured by uniaxial compression, indentation and dynamic mechanical analysis assay. Chondrocytes were then harvested from the knee joint of the New Zealand white rabbits and cultured in constructs. The cell proliferation, viability, production of glycosaminoglycans and collagen type II were assessed. The results showed that mechanical properties of the hydrogel were significantly enhanced when a hybrid with two layers of electrospun silk fibers was made. The results of GAG and collagen type II in cell-seeded scaffolds indicate support of the chondrogenic phenotype for chondrocytes with a significant increase in degummed silk fiber–hydrogel composite for GAG content and in two-layer electrospun fiber–hydrogel composite for Col II. It was concluded that these two modified scaffolds could be employed for cartilage tissue engineering. - Highlights: • Chitosan hydrogel composites fabricated by two forms of silk fiber • Silk fibers provide structural support for the hydrogel matrix. • The mechanical properties of hydrogel significantly improved by associating with silk. • Production of GAG and collagen type II was demonstrated within the scaffolds.

  15. Synthesis and characterization of carboxymethyl chitosan hydrogel ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Local application of drug delivery system could be very. ∗. Author for ... In this study, chitosan was modified by car- ... C18 (250 × 4·6mm ID, 5 μm pore size) column with auto .... Some amount of drug was lost during washing of hydrogels.

  16. Assessment of reinforced poly(ethylene glycol) chitosan hydrogels as dressings in a mouse skin wound defect model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Szu-Hsien; Tsao, Ching-Ting; Chang, Chih-Hao; Lai, Yi-Ting; Wu, Ming-Fung; Chuang, Ching-Nan; Chou, Hung-Chia; Wang, Chih-Kuang; Hsieh, Kuo-Haung

    2013-01-01

    Wound dressings of chitosan are biocompatible, biodegradable, antibacterial and hemostatic biomaterials. However, applications for chitosan are limited due to its poor mechanical properties. Here, we conducted an in vivo mouse angiogenesis study on reinforced poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-chitosan (RPC) hydrogels. RPC hydrogels were formed by cross-linking chitosan with PEGs of different molecular weights at various PEG to chitosan ratios in our previous paper. These dressings can keep the wound moist, had good gas exchange capacity, and was capable of absorbing or removing the wound exudate. We examined the ability of these RPC hydrogels and neat chitosan to heal small cuts and full-thickness skin defects on the backs of male Balb/c mice. Histological examination revealed that chitosan suppressed the infiltration of inflammatory cells and accelerated fibroblast proliferation, while PEG enhanced epithelial migration. The RPC hydrogels promoted wound healing in the small cuts and full layer wounds. The optimal RPC hydrogel had a swelling ratio of 100% and a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of about 2000 g/m 2 /day. In addition, they possess good mechanical property and appropriate degradation rates. Thus, the optimal RPC hydrogel formulation functioned effectively as a wound dressing and promoted wound healing. Highlights: ► Mouse angiogenesis study on reinforced poly(ethylene glycol)-chitosan (RPC) ► Water vapor transmission rate of about 2000 g/m 2 /day is characteristic of RPC. ► RPC suppressed inflammatory cells and accelerated fibroblast proliferation. ► RPC composed of 1000-RP10C90 can be used as a biomaterial for wound dressing

  17. Assessment of reinforced poly(ethylene glycol) chitosan hydrogels as dressings in a mouse skin wound defect model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Szu-Hsien [Institute of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei City 10617, Taiwan (China); Tsao, Ching-Ting [Institute of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei City 10617, Taiwan (China); Epithelial Biology Laboratory/Transgenic Mice Core-Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan (China); Chang, Chih-Hao [Department of Orthopedics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taiwan (China); National Taiwan University College of Medicine, No. 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei City 10018, Taiwan (China); Lai, Yi-Ting [Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei City 10617, Taiwan (China); Wu, Ming-Fung [Animal Medicine Center, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei City 10018, Taiwan (China); Chuang, Ching-Nan [Institute of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei City 10617, Taiwan (China); Chou, Hung-Chia [Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei City 10617, Taiwan (China); Wang, Chih-Kuang, E-mail: ckwang@kmu.edu.tw [Department of Medicinal and Applied Chemistry, Kaohsiung Medical University, No. 100, Shih-Chuan 1st Road, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan (China); Hsieh, Kuo-Haung, E-mail: khhsieh@ntu.edu.tw [Institute of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei City 10617, Taiwan (China)

    2013-07-01

    Wound dressings of chitosan are biocompatible, biodegradable, antibacterial and hemostatic biomaterials. However, applications for chitosan are limited due to its poor mechanical properties. Here, we conducted an in vivo mouse angiogenesis study on reinforced poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-chitosan (RPC) hydrogels. RPC hydrogels were formed by cross-linking chitosan with PEGs of different molecular weights at various PEG to chitosan ratios in our previous paper. These dressings can keep the wound moist, had good gas exchange capacity, and was capable of absorbing or removing the wound exudate. We examined the ability of these RPC hydrogels and neat chitosan to heal small cuts and full-thickness skin defects on the backs of male Balb/c mice. Histological examination revealed that chitosan suppressed the infiltration of inflammatory cells and accelerated fibroblast proliferation, while PEG enhanced epithelial migration. The RPC hydrogels promoted wound healing in the small cuts and full layer wounds. The optimal RPC hydrogel had a swelling ratio of 100% and a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of about 2000 g/m{sup 2}/day. In addition, they possess good mechanical property and appropriate degradation rates. Thus, the optimal RPC hydrogel formulation functioned effectively as a wound dressing and promoted wound healing. Highlights: ► Mouse angiogenesis study on reinforced poly(ethylene glycol)-chitosan (RPC) ► Water vapor transmission rate of about 2000 g/m{sup 2}/day is characteristic of RPC. ► RPC suppressed inflammatory cells and accelerated fibroblast proliferation. ► RPC composed of 1000-RP10C90 can be used as a biomaterial for wound dressing.

  18. Synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of poly(aminoethyl) modified chitosan and its hydrogel used as antibacterial wound dressing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yubei; Dang, Qifeng; Liu, Chengsheng; Yan, Jingquan; Cha, Dongsu; Liang, Shengnan; Li, Xiaoli; Fan, Bing

    2017-09-01

    This study aims to develop new antibacterial hydrogel wound dressings composed of poly(aminoethyl) modified chitosan (PAEMCS). FTIR, 1 H NMR, and elemental analysis demonstrated that PAEMCS was successfully synthesized via grafting poly(aminoethyl) groups onto hydroxyl groups on chitin first, and removing acetyl groups from the grafted polymer afterward. XRD and TGA implied its well-defined crystallinity and thermostability. Furthermore, a series of hydrogels were fabricated under the participation of dipotassium hydrogen phosphate (DHP). The gelation tests suggested that the higher concentration of PAEMCS or DHP was beneficial to the formation of hydrogels. The pH values of hydrogels at 37°C were all in the range of 7.12-7.50. The rheological tests indicated that PAEMCS-based hydrogels were of lower DHP addition and higher elasticity than CS-based hydrogels to achieve the same gelation temperature under the same polymer's concentration. Additionally, the swelling, anti-bacteria, and cytotoxicity experiments showed that PAEMCS-based hydrogels possessed excellent hygroscopicity, high antibacterial activity against E. coli, S. aureus, or S. epidermidis, and good cytocompatibility toward L929 cells or HUVECs, respectively. All the results implied that PAEMCS-based hydrogels not only maintained inherent multiple properties of chitosan but also possessed excellent antibacterial activity, and might be promising antibacterial hydrogel dressings used in wound therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Water absorbency of chitosan grafted acrylic acid hydrogels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Astrini, N.; Anah, L.; Haryono, A.

    2017-07-01

    Acrylic acid (AA) monomer was directly grafted onto chitosan (CTS) using potassium persulfate (KPS) as an initiator and methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinking agent under an inert atmosphere. One factor affecting the swelling capacity of the obtained hydrogel, KPS concentration, were studied. The hydrogel products were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for chemical structure and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for morphology. Swelling of the hydrogel samples in distilled water and saline solution ( 9% NaCl ) was examined. Swelling capacity of the CTS-g-PAA hydrogels in distilled water (88.53 g/g) was higher than in NaCl solution (29.94 g/g) The highest swelling capacity value was obtained when the grafted reaction was carried out using 2.5wt% initiator

  20. Improvement in transdermal drug delivery performance by graphite oxide/temperature-responsive hydrogel composites with micro heater

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yun, Jumi; Lee, Dae Hoon; Im, Ji Sun; Kim, Hyung-Il

    2012-01-01

    Transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS) was prepared with temperature-responsive hydrogel. The graphite was oxidized and incorporated into hydrogel matrix to improve the thermal response of hydrogel. The micro heater was fabricated to control the temperature precisely by adopting a joule heating method. The drug in hydrogel was delivered through a hairless mouse skin by controlling temperature. The efficiency of drug delivery was improved obviously by incorporation of graphite oxide due to the excellent thermal conductivity and the increased interfacial affinity between graphite oxide and hydrogel matrix. The fabricated micro heater was effective in controlling the temperature over lower critical solution temperature of hydrogel precisely with a small voltage less than 1 V. The cell viability test on graphite oxide composite hydrogel showed enough safety for using as a transdermal drug delivery patch. The performance of TDDS could be improved noticeably based on temperature-responsive hydrogel, thermally conductive graphite oxide, and efficient micro heater. - Graphical abstract: The high-performance transdermal drug delivery system could be prepared by combining temperature-responsive hydrogel, thermally conductive graphite oxide with improved interfacial affinity, and efficient micro heater fabricated by a joule heating method. Highlights: ► High performance of transdermal drug delivery system with an easy control of voltage. ► Improved thermal response of hydrogel by graphite oxide incorporation. ► Efficient micro heater fabricated by a joule heating method.

  1. Study on Chitosan-Polyvinyl Alcohol Inter polymeric ph-Responsive Hydrogels for Controlled Drug Delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdel-Bary, E.M.; El-Sherbiny, I.M.; Abdelaal, M.Y.; Abdel-Razik, E.A.

    2005-01-01

    Two series of ph-responsive biodegradable interpenetrating polymeric (IPN) hydrogels composed of chitosan and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were prepared for controlled drug release investigations. The first series was chemically crosslinked with different concentrations of glutaraldehyde as a crosslinked and the second series was crosslinked by gamma-radiation. Degree of crosslinking has been controlled by the concentration of crosslinked as well as by gamma irradiation dose. The equilibrium swelling -reflecting the degree of crosslinks - were carried out for the gels at 37 degree C in buffer solutions of ph 2.1 and 7.4 (simulated gastric and intestinal fluids respectively). 5-fluorouracil (5- FU) was entrapped, as a model therapeutic agent, in the hydrogels and equilibrium-swelling studies were carried out for the drug-entrapped gels at 37 degree C. The in-vitro release profiles of the drug were established at 37 degree C in ph 2.1 and 7.4. FT-IR was employed to investigate the structural changes of the gels with different degrees of crosslinking

  2. Thermo-sensitive injectable glycol chitosan-based hydrogel for treatment of degenerative disc disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zhengzheng; Shim, Hyeeun; Cho, Myeong Ok; Cho, Ik Sung; Lee, Jin Hyun; Kang, Sun-Woong; Kwon, Bosun; Huh, Kang Moo

    2018-03-15

    The use of injectable hydrogel formulations have been suggested as a promising strategy for the treatment of degenerative disc disease to both restore the biomechanical function and reduce low back pain. In this work, a new thermo-sensitive injectable hydrogels with tunable thermo-sensitivity and enhanced stability were developed with N-hexanoylation of glycol chitosan (GC) for treatment of degenerative disc disease, and their physico-chemical and biological properties were evaluated. The sol-gel transition temperature of the hydrogels was controlled in a range of 23-56 °С, depending on the degree of hexanoylation and the polymer concentration. In vitro and in vivo tests showed no cytotoxicity and no adverse effects in a rat model. The hydrogel filling of the defective IVD site in an ex vivo porcine model maintained its stability for longer than 28 days. These results suggest that the hydrogel can be used as an alternative material for treatment of disc herniation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Development and characterization of hydrogels based on natural polysaccharides: Policaju and chitosan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Soares, Paulo A.G. [Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, s/n, Cidade Universitária, 50670-420 Recife, PE (Brazil); Laboratório de Imunopatologia Keizo Asami-LIKA, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, s/n, Cidade Universitária, 50670-901 Recife, PE (Brazil); Bourbon, Ana I.; Vicente, António A. [Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho (UMINHO), Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga (Portugal); Andrade, Cesar A.S. [Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, s/n, Cidade Universitária, 50670-420 Recife, PE (Brazil); Barros, Wilson [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, s/n, Cidade Universitária, 50670-420 Recife, PE (Brazil); Correia, Maria T.S. [Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, s/n, Cidade Universitária, 50670-420 Recife, PE (Brazil); Pessoa, Adalberto [Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Av. Lineu Prestes, 580, Butantã, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP (Brazil); and others

    2014-09-01

    The development of hydrogels based on natural polysaccharides was investigated by preparing mixtures of policaju/chitosan at weight ratios of 1:4 and 2:3. Utilizing dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques for these mixtures, an increase on the hydrodynamic particle radius was observed varying their pH from 3.0 to 12.0. Furthermore, a reduction of ζ-potential was also observed for the same pH interval. Following rounds of drying/hydration cycles at a specific pH value, hydrogel matrices were formed. The pore size distribution of these formed hydrogels was examined using scanning electron microscopy. Further FT-IR analyses confirmed a physical interaction between the polysaccharides policaju and chitosan. Swelling experiments revealed water uptake values, after 24 h of immersion in water, close to 270% for 1:4, and 320% for 2:3 hydrogels. Finally, rheological measurements were then conducted in order to confirm hydrogel viscoelastic features. These results indicate a promising road to biomaterials fabrication and biomedical applications. - Highlights: • POLI–CHI hydrogels were obtained by direct injection and extrusion. • POLI–CHI hydrated hydrogels have 4.2 times their dry weight. • Due to the high water absorption POLI–CHI hydrogels are extremely soft. • POLI–CHI hydrogels can be used in cosmetic and medical industry.

  4. Optimization and Evaluation of a Chitosan/Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Hydrogel Containing Toluidine Blue O for Antimicrobial Photodynamic Inactivation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chueh-Pin Chen

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Photodynamic inactivation (PDI combined with chitosan has been shown as a promising antimicrobial approach. The purpose of this study was to develop a chitosan hydrogel containing hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC, chitosan and toluidine blue O (TBO to improve the bactericidal efficacy for topical application in clinics. The PDI efficacy of hydrogel was examined in vitro against the biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa. Confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM was performed to investigate the penetration level of TBO into viable S. aureus biofilms. Incorporation of HMPC could increase the physicochemical properties of chitosan hydrogel including the hardness, viscosity as well as bioadhesion; however, higher HMPC concentration also resulted in reduced antimicrobial effect. CSLM analysis further demonstrated that higher HPMC concentration constrained TBO diffusion into the biofilm. The incubation of biofilm and hydrogel was further performed at an angle of 90 degrees. After light irradiation, compared to the mixture of TBO and chitosan, the hydrogel treated sample showed increased PDI efficacy indicated that incorporation of HPMC did improve antimicrobial effect. Finally, the bactericidal efficacy could be significantly augmented by prolonged retention of hydrogel in the biofilm as well as in the animal model of rat skin burn wounds after light irradiation.

  5. Polymer Brush-Functionalized Chitosan Hydrogels as Antifouling Implant Coatings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buzzacchera, Irene; Vorobii, Mariia; Kostina, Nina Yu; de Los Santos Pereira, Andres; Riedel, Tomáš; Bruns, Michael; Ogieglo, Wojciech; Möller, Martin; Wilson, Christopher J; Rodriguez-Emmenegger, Cesar

    2017-06-12

    Implantable sensor devices require coatings that efficiently interface with the tissue environment to mediate biochemical analysis. In this regard, bioinspired polymer hydrogels offer an attractive and abundant source of coating materials. However, upon implantation these materials generally elicit inflammation and the foreign body reaction as a consequence of protein fouling on their surface and concomitant poor hemocompatibility. In this report we investigate a strategy to endow chitosan hydrogel coatings with antifouling properties by the grafting of polymer brushes in a "grafting-from" approach. Chitosan coatings were functionalized with polymer brushes of oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate using photoinduced single electron transfer living radical polymerization and the surfaces were thoroughly characterized by XPS, AFM, water contact angle goniometry, and in situ ellipsometry. The antifouling properties of these new bioinspired hydrogel-brush coatings were investigated by surface plasmon resonance. The influence of the modifications to the chitosan on hemocompatibility was assessed by contacting the surfaces with platelets and leukocytes. The coatings were hydrophilic and reached a thickness of up to 180 nm within 30 min of polymerization. The functionalization of the surface with polymer brushes significantly reduced the protein fouling and eliminated platelet activation and leukocyte adhesion. This methodology offers a facile route to functionalizing implantable sensor systems with antifouling coatings that improve hemocompatibility and pave the way for enhanced device integration in tissue.

  6. Improvement in transdermal drug delivery performance by graphite oxide/temperature-responsive hydrogel composites with micro heater

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yun, Jumi [Department of Fine Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, BK21-E2M, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Dae Hoon [Environment Research Division, Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, 171 Jang-dong, Yusong-gu, Daejeon 305-343 (Korea, Republic of); Im, Ji Sun [Department of Fine Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, BK21-E2M, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hyung-Il, E-mail: hikim@cnu.ac.kr [Department of Fine Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, BK21-E2M, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764 (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-08-01

    Transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS) was prepared with temperature-responsive hydrogel. The graphite was oxidized and incorporated into hydrogel matrix to improve the thermal response of hydrogel. The micro heater was fabricated to control the temperature precisely by adopting a joule heating method. The drug in hydrogel was delivered through a hairless mouse skin by controlling temperature. The efficiency of drug delivery was improved obviously by incorporation of graphite oxide due to the excellent thermal conductivity and the increased interfacial affinity between graphite oxide and hydrogel matrix. The fabricated micro heater was effective in controlling the temperature over lower critical solution temperature of hydrogel precisely with a small voltage less than 1 V. The cell viability test on graphite oxide composite hydrogel showed enough safety for using as a transdermal drug delivery patch. The performance of TDDS could be improved noticeably based on temperature-responsive hydrogel, thermally conductive graphite oxide, and efficient micro heater. - Graphical abstract: The high-performance transdermal drug delivery system could be prepared by combining temperature-responsive hydrogel, thermally conductive graphite oxide with improved interfacial affinity, and efficient micro heater fabricated by a joule heating method. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer High performance of transdermal drug delivery system with an easy control of voltage. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Improved thermal response of hydrogel by graphite oxide incorporation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Efficient micro heater fabricated by a joule heating method.

  7. Injectable Nanocurcumin-Formulated Chitosan-g-Pluronic Hydrogel Exhibiting a Great Potential for Burn Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Le Hang Dang

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Burn wound healing is a complex multifactorial process that relies on coordinated signaling molecules to succeed. Curcumin is believed to be a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent; therefore, it can prevent the prolonged presence of oxygen free radicals which is a significant factor causing inhabitation of optimum healing process. This study describes an extension of study about the biofunctional nanocomposite hydrogel platform that was prepared by using curcumin and an amphiphilic chitosan-g-pluronic copolymer specialized in burn wound healing application. This formular (nCur-CP, nanocomposite hydrogel was a free-flowing sol at ambient temperature and instantly converted into a nonflowing gel at body temperature. In addition, the storage study determined the great stability level of nCur-CP in long time using UV-Vis and DLS. Morphology and distribution of nCur in its nanocomposite hydrogels were observed by SEM and TEM, respectively. In vitro studies suggested that nCur-CP exhibited well fibroblast proliferation and ability in antimicrobacteria. Furthermore, second- and third-degree burn wound models were employed to evaluate the in vivo wound healing activity of the nCur-CP. In the second-degree wound model, the nanocomposite hydrogel group showed a higher regenerated collagen density and thicker epidermis layer formation. In third degree, the nCur-CP group also exhibited enhancement of wound closure. Besides, in both models, the nanocomposite material-treated groups showed higher collagen content, better granulation, and higher wound maturity. Histopathologic examination also implied that the nanocomposite hydrogel based on nanocurcumin and chitosan could enhance burn wound repair. In conclusion, the biocompatible and injectable nanocomposite scaffold might have great potential to apply for wound healing.

  8. Cytotoxicity and metal ions removal using antibacterial biodegradable hydrogels based on N-quaternized chitosan/poly(acrylic acid).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohamed, Riham R; Elella, Mahmoud H Abu; Sabaa, Magdy W

    2017-05-01

    Physically crosslinked hydrogels resulted from interaction between N,N,N-trimethyl chitosan chloride (N-Quaternized Chitosan) (NQC) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) were synthesized in different weight ratios (3:1), (1:1) and (1:3) taking the following codes Q3P1, Q1P1 and Q1P3, respectively. Characterization of the mentioned hydrogels was done using several analysis tools including; FTIR, XRD, SEM, TGA, biodegradation in simulated body fluid (SBF) and cytotoxicity against HepG-2 liver cancer cells. FTIR results proved that the prepared hydrogels were formed via electrostatic and H-bonding interactions, while XRD patterns proved that the prepared hydrogels -irrespective to their ratios- were more crystalline than both matrices NQC and PAA. TGA results, on the other hand, revealed that Q1P3 hydrogel was the most thermally stable compared to the other two hydrogels (Q3P1 and Q1P1). Biodegradation tests in SBF proved that these hydrogels were more biodegradable than the native chitosan. Examination of the prepared hydrogels for their potency in heavy metal ions removal revealed that they adsorbed Fe (III) and Cd (II) ions more than chitosan, while they adsorbed Cr (III), Ni (II) and Cu (II) ions less than chitosan. Moreover, testing the prepared hydrogels as antibacterial agents towards several Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria revealed their higher antibacterial activity as compared with NQC when used alone. Evaluating the cytotoxic effect of these hydrogels on an in vitro human liver cancer cell model (HepG-2) showed their good cytotoxic activity towards HepG-2. Moreover, the inhibition rate increased with increasing the hydrogels concentration in the culture medium. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Mechanically Robust 3D Nanostructure Chitosan-Based Hydrogels with Autonomic Self-Healing Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karimi, Ali Reza; Khodadadi, Azam

    2016-10-12

    Fabrication of hydrogels based on chitosan (CS) with superb self-healing behavior and high mechanical and electrical properties has become a challenging and fascinating topic. Most of the conventional hydrogels lack these properties at the same time. Our objectives in this research were to synthesize, characterize, and evaluate the general properties of chitosan covalently cross-linked with zinc phthalocyanine tetra-aldehyde (ZnPcTa) framework. Our hope was to access an unprecedented self-healable three-dimensional (3D) nanostructure that would harvest the superior mechanical and electrical properties associated with chitosan. The properties of cross-linker such as the structure, steric effect, and rigidity of the molecule played important roles in determining the microstructure and properties of the resulting hydrogels. The tetra-functionalized phthalocyanines favor a dynamic Schiff-base linkage with chitosan to form a 3D porous nanostructure. Based on this strategy, the self-healing ability, as demonstrated by rheological recovery and macroscopic and microscopic observations, is introduced through dynamic covalent Schiff-base linkage between NH 2 groups in CS and benzaldehyde groups at cross-linker ends. The hydrogel was characterized using FT-IR, NMR, UV/vis, and rheological measurements. In addition, cryogenic scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) was employed as a technique to visualize the internal morphology of the hydrogels. Study of the surface morphology of the hydrogel showed a 3D porous nanostructure with uniform morphology. Furthermore, incorporating the conductive nanofillers, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), into the structure can modulate the mechanical and electrical properties of the obtained hydrogels. Interestingly, these hydrogel nanocomposites proved to have very good film-forming properties, high modulus and strength, acceptable electrical conductivity, and excellent self-healing properties at neutral pH. Such properties can be finely tuned

  10. The synthesis and characterization of hydrogel chitosan-alginate with the addition of plasticizer lauric acid for wound dressing application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Izak Rudyardjo, Djony; Wijayanto, Setiawan

    2017-05-01

    The writers conducted a study about the synthesis and characterization of hydrogel chitosan-alginate by addition plasticizer lauric acid for wound dressing application. The purpose was to find out the impact of lauric acid concentration variation on hydrogel chitosan-alginate to get the best mechanical and physical properties to be applied as wound dressing in accordance with existing standards. This study used commercially chitosan from extract of shells crab, commercially-available alginate from the extract of sargassum sp, and commercial lauric acid from palm starch. The addition of lauric acid was aimed to repair mechanical properties of hydrogel. The composition of chitosan-alginate is 4:1 (v/v), while the lauric acid concentration variations are 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5% w/v. The characterization of mechanical properties test (Tensile strength and Elongation at break) at hydrogel showed the hydrogel chitosan-alginate-lauric acid have the characteristic which meets the standard of mechanical properties for human skin. The best performance of hydrogel chitosan-alginate-lauric acid was obtained by increasing luric acid concentration by 4%, which has a thickness value of 125.46±0.63 µm, elongation 28.89±1.01 %, tensile strength (9.01±0.65) MPa, and ability to absorb liquids (601.45 ±1.24) %.

  11. Synthesis and characterization of a biocompatible chitosan-based hydrogel cross-linked via 'click' chemistry for controlled drug release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guaresti, O; García-Astrain, C; Palomares, T; Alonso-Varona, A; Eceiza, A; Gabilondo, N

    2017-09-01

    A chemically cross-linked chitosan-based hydrogel was successfully synthesized through Diels-Alder (DA) reaction and characterized. The final product was obtained after different steps; on the one hand, furan-modified chitosan (Cs-Fu) was synthesized by the reaction of furfural with the free amino groups of chitosan. On the other hand, highlighting the novelty of the present research, maleimide-functionalized chitosan (Cs-AMI) was prepared by the reaction of a maleimide-modified aminoacid with the amino groups of chitosan through amide coupling. The two complementary chitosan derivatives were cross-linked to the final hydrogel network. Both modification reactions were confirmed by FTIR and 1 H NMR, obtaining a degree of substitution (DS) of 31% and 26% for Cs-Fu and Cs-AMI, respectively. The as-designed hydrogel was analyzed in terms of microstructure, swelling capacity and rheological behaviour. The hydrogel showed pH-sensitivity, biocompatibility and inhibitory bacterial activity, promising features for biomedical applications, particularly for targeted-drug delivery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. About the Sterilization of Chitosan Hydrogel Nanoparticles.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raquel Galante

    Full Text Available In the last years, nanostructured biomaterials have raised a great interest as platforms for delivery of drugs, genes, imaging agents and for tissue engineering applications. In particular, hydrogel nanoparticles (HNP associate the distinctive features of hydrogels (high water uptake capacity, biocompatibility with the advantages of being possible to tailor its physicochemical properties at nano-scale to increase solubility, immunocompatibility and cellular uptake. In order to be safe, HNP for biomedical applications, such as injectable or ophthalmic formulations, must be sterile. Literature is very scarce with respect to sterilization effects on nanostructured systems, and even more in what concerns HNP. This work aims to evaluate the effect and effectiveness of different sterilization methods on chitosan (CS hydrogel nanoparticles. In addition to conventional methods (steam autoclave and gamma irradiation, a recent ozone-based method of sterilization was also tested. A model chitosan-tripolyphosphate (TPP hydrogel nanoparticles (CS-HNP, with a broad spectrum of possible applications was produced and sterilized in the absence and in the presence of protective sugars (glucose and mannitol. Properties like size, zeta potential, absorbance, morphology, chemical structure and cytotoxicity were evaluated. It was found that the CS-HNP degrade by autoclaving and that sugars have no protective effect. Concerning gamma irradiation, the formation of agglomerates was observed, compromising the suspension stability. However, the nanoparticles resistance increases considerably in the presence of the sugars. Ozone sterilization did not lead to significant physical adverse effects, however, slight toxicity signs were observed, contrarily to gamma irradiation where no detectable changes on cells were found. Ozonation in the presence of sugars avoided cytotoxicity. Nevertheless, some chemical alterations were observed in the nanoparticles.

  13. About the Sterilization of Chitosan Hydrogel Nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galante, Raquel; Rediguieri, Carolina F; Kikuchi, Irene Satiko; Vasquez, Pablo A S; Colaço, Rogério; Serro, Ana Paula; Pinto, Terezinha J A

    2016-01-01

    In the last years, nanostructured biomaterials have raised a great interest as platforms for delivery of drugs, genes, imaging agents and for tissue engineering applications. In particular, hydrogel nanoparticles (HNP) associate the distinctive features of hydrogels (high water uptake capacity, biocompatibility) with the advantages of being possible to tailor its physicochemical properties at nano-scale to increase solubility, immunocompatibility and cellular uptake. In order to be safe, HNP for biomedical applications, such as injectable or ophthalmic formulations, must be sterile. Literature is very scarce with respect to sterilization effects on nanostructured systems, and even more in what concerns HNP. This work aims to evaluate the effect and effectiveness of different sterilization methods on chitosan (CS) hydrogel nanoparticles. In addition to conventional methods (steam autoclave and gamma irradiation), a recent ozone-based method of sterilization was also tested. A model chitosan-tripolyphosphate (TPP) hydrogel nanoparticles (CS-HNP), with a broad spectrum of possible applications was produced and sterilized in the absence and in the presence of protective sugars (glucose and mannitol). Properties like size, zeta potential, absorbance, morphology, chemical structure and cytotoxicity were evaluated. It was found that the CS-HNP degrade by autoclaving and that sugars have no protective effect. Concerning gamma irradiation, the formation of agglomerates was observed, compromising the suspension stability. However, the nanoparticles resistance increases considerably in the presence of the sugars. Ozone sterilization did not lead to significant physical adverse effects, however, slight toxicity signs were observed, contrarily to gamma irradiation where no detectable changes on cells were found. Ozonation in the presence of sugars avoided cytotoxicity. Nevertheless, some chemical alterations were observed in the nanoparticles.

  14. Influence of natural and synthetic crosslinking reagents on the structural and mechanical properties of chitosan-based hybrid hydrogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garnica-Palafox, I M; Sánchez-Arévalo, F M

    2016-10-20

    The objective of this work was to correlate the physical and chemical properties of chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol)/genipin (CS/PVA/GEN) and chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol)/glutaraldehyde (CS/PVA/GA) hydrogels with their structural and mechanical responses. In addition, their molecular structures were determined and confirmed using FTIR spectroscopy. The results indicated that the hybrid hydrogels crosslinked with genipin showed similar crystallinity, thermal properties, elongation ratio and structural parameters as those crosslinked with glutaraldehyde. However, it was found that the elastic moduli of the two hybrid hydrogels were slightly different: 2.82±0.33MPa and 2.08±0.11MPa for GA and GEN, respectively. Although the hybrid hydrogels crosslinked with GEN presented a lower elastic modulus, the main advantage is that GEN is five to ten thousand times less cytotoxic than GA. This means that the structural and mechanical properties of hybrid hydrogels crosslinked with GEN can easily be tuned and could have potential applications in the tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, food, agriculture and environmental industries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Preparation and Properties of 3D Printed Alginate–Chitosan Polyion Complex Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiongqiong Liu

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Three-dimensional (3D printing holds great potential for preparing sophisticated scaffolds for tissue engineering. As a result of the shear thinning properties of an alginate solution, it is often used as 3D printing ink. However, it is difficult to prepare scaffolds with complexity structure and high fidelity, because the alginate solution has a low viscosity and alginate hydrogels prepared with Ca2+ crosslinking are mechanically weak. In this work, chitosan powders were dispersed and swelled in an alginate solution, which could effectively improve the viscosity of an alginate solution by 1.5–4 times. With the increase of chitosan content, the shape fidelity of the 3D printed alginate–chitosan polyion complex (AlCh PIC hydrogels were improved. Scanning electron microscope (SEM photographs showed that the lateral pore structure of 3D printed hydrogels was becoming more obvious. As a result of the increased reaction ion pairs in comparison to the alginate hydrogels that were prepared with Ca2+ crosslinking, AlCh PIC hydrogels were mechanically strong, and the compression stress of hydrogels at a 90% strain could achieve 1.4 MPa without breaking. In addition, human adipose derived stem cells (hASCs adhered to the 3D printed AlCh PIC hydrogels and proliferated with time, which indicated that the obtained hydrogels were biocompatible and could potentially be used as scaffolds for tissue engineering.

  16. Comparison of Hydrogels Based on Commercial Chitosan and Beetosan® Containing Nanosilver

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bożena Tyliszczak

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Two series of hydrogels on the basis of commercial chitosan and chitosan derived from naturally expired honeybees are presented in this article. Sorption capacity and behavior of both kind of materials in simulated body fluids such as Ringer’s liquid or artificial saliva have been determined and compared. Presence of functional groups in synthesized materials have been determined by means of FT-IR spectroscopy. Structure and homogeneity of their surface have been defined using Scanning Electron Microscopy. Based on the conducted research, it can be stated that both chitosan and Beetosan® hydrogels have very similar characteristics. It is worth noting that synthesis of such materials is environmentally friendly and leads to obtaining polymers that can be used for biomedical applications. Tested materials are characterized by low sorption capacity and do not have a negative impact on simulated body fluids. Moreover, based on the cell lines studies, it can be stated that Beetosan® hydrogels have a negative influence on cells of cancerous origin and, what is important, significantly less adverse effects on fibroblasts.

  17. Formulation of sage essential oil (Salvia officinalis, L.) monoterpenes into chitosan hydrogels and permeation study with GC-MS analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kodadová, Alexandra; Vitková, Zuzana; Herdová, Petra; Ťažký, Anton; Oremusová, Jarmila; Grančai, Daniel; Mikuš, Peter

    2015-01-01

    This study deals with the formulation of natural drugs into hydrogels. For the first time, compounds from the sage essential oil were formulated into chitosan hydrogels. A sample preparation procedure for hydrophobic volatile analytes present in a hydrophilic water matrix along with an analytical method based on the gas chromatography coupled with the mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was developed and applied for the evaluation of the identity and quantity of essential oil components in the hydrogels and saline samples. The experimental results revealed that the chitosan hydrogels are suitable for the formulation of sage essential oil. The monoterpene release can be effectively controlled by both chitosan and caffeine concentration in the hydrogels. Permeation experiment, based on a hydrogel with the optimized composition [3.5% (w/w) sage essential oil, 2.0% (w/w) caffeine, 2.5% (w/w) chitosan and 0.1% (w/w) Tween-80] in donor compartment, saline solution in acceptor compartment, and semi-permeable cellophane membrane, demonstrated the useful permeation selectivity. Here, (according to lipophilicity) an enhanced permeation of the bicyclic monoterpenes with antiflogistic and antiseptic properties (eucalyptol, camphor and borneol) and, at the same time, suppressed permeation of toxic thujone (not exceeding its permitted applicable concentration) was observed. These properties highlight the pharmaceutical importance of the developed chitosan hydrogel formulating sage essential oil in the dermal applications.

  18. Assessment of Photodynamic Inactivation against Periodontal Bacteria Mediated by a Chitosan Hydrogel in a 3D Gingival Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Po-Chun Peng

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Chitosan hydrogels containing hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC and toluidine blue O were prepared and assessed for their mucoadhesive property and antimicrobial efficacy of photodynamic inactivation (PDI. Increased HPMC content in the hydrogels resulted in increased mucoadhesiveness. Furthermore, we developed a simple In Vitro 3D gingival model resembling the oral periodontal pocket to culture the biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A. actinomycetemcomitans, and Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis. The PDI efficacy of chitosan hydrogel was examined against periodontal biofilms cultured in this 3D gingival model. We found that the PDI effectiveness was limited due to leaving some of the innermost bacteria alive at the non-illuminated site. Using this 3D gingival model, we further optimized PDI procedures with various adjustments of light energy and irradiation sites. The PDI efficacy of the chitosan hydrogel against periodontal biofilms can significantly improve via four sides of irradiation. In conclusion, this study not only showed the clinical applicability of this chitosan hydrogel but also the importance of the light irradiation pattern in performing PDI for periodontal disease.

  19. Assessment of Photodynamic Inactivation against Periodontal Bacteria Mediated by a Chitosan Hydrogel in a 3D Gingival Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Po-Chun; Hsieh, Chien-Ming; Chen, Chueh-Pin; Tsai, Tsuimin; Chen, Chin-Tin

    2016-11-01

    Chitosan hydrogels containing hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and toluidine blue O were prepared and assessed for their mucoadhesive property and antimicrobial efficacy of photodynamic inactivation (PDI). Increased HPMC content in the hydrogels resulted in increased mucoadhesiveness. Furthermore, we developed a simple In Vitro 3D gingival model resembling the oral periodontal pocket to culture the biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ), Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans ( A. actinomycetemcomitans ), and Porphyromonas gingivalis ( P. gingivalis ). The PDI efficacy of chitosan hydrogel was examined against periodontal biofilms cultured in this 3D gingival model. We found that the PDI effectiveness was limited due to leaving some of the innermost bacteria alive at the non-illuminated site. Using this 3D gingival model, we further optimized PDI procedures with various adjustments of light energy and irradiation sites. The PDI efficacy of the chitosan hydrogel against periodontal biofilms can significantly improve via four sides of irradiation. In conclusion, this study not only showed the clinical applicability of this chitosan hydrogel but also the importance of the light irradiation pattern in performing PDI for periodontal disease.

  20. Design and fabrication of a chitosan hydrogel with gradient structures via a step-by-step cross-linking process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yongxiang; Yuan, Shenpo; Han, Jianmin; Lin, Hong; Zhang, Xuehui

    2017-11-15

    The development of scaffolds to mimic the gradient structure of natural tissue is an important consideration for effective tissue engineering. In the present study, a physical cross-linking chitosan hydrogel with gradient structures was fabricated via a step-by-step cross-linking process using sodium tripolyphosphate and sodium hydroxide as sequential cross-linkers. Chitosan hydrogels with different structures (single, double, and triple layers) were prepared by modifying the gelling process. The properties of the hydrogels were further adjusted by varying the gelling conditions, such as gelling time, pH, and composition of the crosslinking solution. Slight cytotoxicity was showed in MTT assay for hydrogels with uncross-linking chitosan solution and non-cytotoxicity was showed for other hydrogels. The results suggest that step-by-step cross-linking represents a practicable method to fabricate scaffolds with gradient structures. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  1. Intra-articular Administration of Chitosan Thermosensitive In Situ Hydrogels Combined With Diclofenac Sodium-Loaded Alginate Microspheres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Xiaole; Qin, Xiaoxue; Yang, Rong; Qin, Jiayi; Li, Wenyan; Luan, Kun; Wu, Zhenghong; Song, Li

    2016-01-01

    The aims of this study were to prepare fine intra-articular-administrated chitosan thermosensitive hydrogels combined with alginate microspheres and to investigate the possibility of those hydrogels as a drug delivery system for promoting the anti-inflammation effect. Diclofenac sodium containing alginate microspheres was prepared by a modified emulsification and/or gelation method and then dispersed into injectable thermosensitive hydrogels, consisting of chitosan and β-glycerophosphate. The final combined hydrogels were evaluated in terms of their morphology properties, rheological properties, in vitro drug release, and in vivo biocompatibility and pharmacodynamics behaviors. The optimized formulation exhibited sol-gel transition at 31.72 ± 0.42°C and quickly turned into gel within 5 min, with sustained drug release characteristics followed Ritger-Peppas equation, which could prolong the in vitro drug release to 5 days. In addition, the anti-inflammation efficacy of the combined hydrogels in rabbits with experimental rheumatoid arthritis was higher than that of drug solution and pure chitosan hydrogels. Those results demonstrated that these combined hydrogels could become a potential drug delivery system for improving the therapeutic effect of diclofenac sodium and suggested an important technology platform for intra-articular administration. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Effects of PVA, agar contents, and irradiation doses on properties of PVA/ws-chitosan/glycerol hydrogels made by γ-irradiation followed by freeze-thawing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Xiaomin; Zhu Zhiyong; Liu Qi; Chen Xiliang; Ma Mingwang

    2008-01-01

    Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/water soluble chitosan (ws-chitosan)/glycerol hydrogels were prepared by γ-irradiation and γ-irradiation followed by freeze-thawing, respectively. The effects of irradiation dose and the contents of PVA and agar on the swelling, rheological, and thermal properties of these hydrogels were investigated. The swelling capacity decreases while the mechanical strength increases with increasing PVA or agar content. Increasing the irradiation dose leads to an increase in chemical crosslinking density but a decrease in physical crosslinking density. Hydrogels made by irradiation followed by freeze-thawing own smaller swelling capacity but larger mechanical strength than those made by pure irradiation. The storage modulus of the former hydrogels decreases above 50 deg. C and above 70 deg. C it comes to the same value as that prepared by irradiation. The ordered association of PVA is influenced by both chemical and physical crosslinkings and by the presence of ws-chitosan and glycerol. These hydrogels are high sensitive to pH and ionic strength, indicating that they may be useful in stimuli-responsive drug release system

  3. Enhanced gelation of chitosan/β-sodium glycerophosphate thermosensitive hydrogel with sodium bicarbonate and biocompatibility evaluated.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Aipeng; Kang, Xi; Zhang, Jing; Yang, Yang; Yang, Shulin

    2017-09-01

    The application of chitosan/β-sodium glycerophosphate (β-GP) thermosensitive hydrogel has been limited by the relatively slow gelation, weak mechanical resistance and poor cytocompatibility. In this study, sodium hydrogen carbonate (NaHCO 3 ) was applied with β-GP as gel agents to produce high-strength hydrogel. The hydrogels prepared with high NaHCO 3 concentration or more gel agents showed shorter gelation time, better thermostability, drastically enhanced resistance in compression. Meanwhile, the hydrogels presented obvious porous structures and excellent biocompatibility to HUVEC and NIH 3T3 cultured in vitro with higher NaHCO 3 concentration and moderate concentration of β-GP. Overall, appropriate concentration of β-GP combined with NaHCO 3 can be a good gel regent to improve properties of chitosan thermosensitive hydrogels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. PVA/CM-chitosan/honey hydrogels prepared by using the combined technique of irradiation followed by freeze-thawing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afshari, M. J.; Sheikh, N.; Afarideh, H.

    2015-08-01

    Hydrogels with three components, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), carboxymethylate chitosan (CM-chitosan) and honey have been prepared by using radiation method and radiation followed by freeze-thawing cycles technique (combinational method). The solid concentration of the polymer solution is 15 wt% and the ratios of PVA/CM-chitosan/honey are 10/1.5/3.5, 10/2/3, 10/3/2, and 10/3.5/1.5. The applied irradiation doses are 25, 30 and 40 kGy. Various tests have been done to evaluate the hydrogel properties to produce materials to be used as wound dressing. The results show that combinational method improves the mechanical strength of hydrogels while it has no significant effect on the water evaporation rate of gels. The combinational method decreases the swelling of hydrogels significantly, albeit this parameter is still acceptable for wound dressing. Microbiological analyses show that the hydrogel prepared by both methods can protect the wound from Escherichia coli bacterial infection. The wound healing test shows the good performance of the gels in mice.

  5. Ice-templated hydrogels based on chitosan with tailored porous morphology

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Dinu, M. V.; Přádný, Martin; Dragan, E. S.; Michálek, Jiří

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 94, č. 1 (2013), s. 170-178 ISSN 0144-8617 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP108/12/1538 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : chitosan * ice-templated hydrogels * morphology Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 3.916, year: 2013

  6. PVA/CM-chitosan/honey hydrogels prepared by using the combined technique of irradiation followed by freeze-thawing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Afshari, M.J.; Sheikh, N.; Afarideh, H.

    2015-01-01

    Hydrogels with three components, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), carboxymethylate chitosan (CM-chitosan) and honey have been prepared by using radiation method and radiation followed by freeze-thawing cycles technique (combinational method). The solid concentration of the polymer solution is 15 wt% and the ratios of PVA/CM-chitosan/honey are 10/1.5/3.5, 10/2/3, 10/3/2, and 10/3.5/1.5. The applied irradiation doses are 25, 30 and 40 kGy. Various tests have been done to evaluate the hydrogel properties to produce materials to be used as wound dressing. The results show that combinational method improves the mechanical strength of hydrogels while it has no significant effect on the water evaporation rate of gels. The combinational method decreases the swelling of hydrogels significantly, albeit this parameter is still acceptable for wound dressing. Microbiological analyses show that the hydrogel prepared by both methods can protect the wound from Escherichia coli bacterial infection. The wound healing test shows the good performance of the gels in mice. - Highlights: • Hydrogels prepared by the combination of irradiation and freeze-thawing methods. • Hydrogels with improved mechanical strength prepared by the combinational method. • The prepared hydrogels had acceptable transparency and degree of swelling. • The water evaporation rates of these hydrogels were pretty low. • Presences of honey in the formulation of gels led to a higher tissue regeneration

  7. Flow Cytometry Detection of Bacterial Cell Entrapment within the Chitosan Hydrogel and Antibacterial Property of Extracted Chitosan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nafise Sadat Majidi

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Background:   Chitosan is unbranched polysaccharide composed of D-glucosamine and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. Chitosan, derived from shrimp shell, has broad antimicrobial properties against Gram-negative, Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. Methods:  Chitosan was extracted from shrimp shell and studied for cell entrapment and anti-bacterial properties. The hydrogel chitosan was used as the beads for cell entrapment and chitosan beads were designed to deliver cells and nutrients. These data confirmed with flow cytometric analyses.                 Results:   Experimental results exhibited that internal diffusion through the chitosan matrix was the main mechanism for whole gelation by TPP (Tri-polyphosphate. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC for chitosan against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was 16 and 32 μg/ml respectively. Conclusion:  Despite the antimicrobial properties of chitosan, trapped bacteria in the gel network were alive and were chelated indicating that their access to the outside was limited.

  8. Controlled local drug delivery strategies from chitosan hydrogels for wound healing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elviri, Lisa; Bianchera, Annalisa; Bergonzi, Carlo; Bettini, Ruggero

    2017-07-01

    The main target of tissue engineering is the preparation and application of adequate materials for the design and production of scaffolds, that possess properties promoting cell adhesion, proliferation and differentiation. The use of natural polysaccharides, such as chitosan, to prepare hydrogels for wound healing and controlled drug delivery is a research topic of wide and increasing interest. Areas covered: This review presents the latest results and challenges in the preparation of chitosan and chitosan-based scaffold/hydrogel for wound healing applications. A detailed overview of their behavior in terms of controlled drug delivery, divided by drug categories, and efficacy was provided and critically discussed. Expert opinion: The need to establish and exploit the advantages of natural biomaterials in combination with active compounds is playing a pivotal role in the regenerative medicine fields. The challenges posed by the many variables affecting tissue repair and regeneration need to be standardized and adhere to recognized guidelines to improve the quality of evidence in the wound healing process. Currently, different methodologies are followed to prepare innovative scaffold formulations and structures. Innovative technologies such as 3D printing or bio-electrospray are promising to create chitosan-based scaffolds with finely controlled structures with customizable shape porosity and thickness. Chitosan scaffolds could be designed in combination with a variety of polysaccharides or active compounds with selected and reproducible spacial distribution, providing active wound dressing with highly tunable controlled drug delivery.

  9. pH-Responsive Hydrogel With an Anti-Glycation Agent for Modulating Experimental Periodontitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Min-Chen; Chang, Chih-Yeun; Chao, Yi-Chi; Jheng, Yi-Han; Yang, Connie; Lee, Ning; Yu, Shan-Huey; Yu, Xin-Hong; Liu, Dean-Mo; Chang, Po-Chun

    2016-06-01

    Stimulus-responsive devices have emerged as a novel approach for local drug delivery. This study investigates the feasibility of a novel chitosan-based, pH-responsive hydrogel loaded with N-phenacylthiazolium bromide (PTB), which cleaves the crosslinks of advanced glycation end products on the extracellular matrix. A chitosan-based hydrogel loaded with PTB was fabricated, and the in vitro release profile was evaluated within pH 5.5 to 7.4. BALB/cJ mice and Sprague-Dawley rats were used to evaluate the effects during the induction and recovery phases of periodontitis, respectively, and animals in each phase were divided into four groups: 1) no periodontitis induction; 2) ligature-induced experimental periodontitis (group PR); 3) experimental periodontitis plus hydrogel without PTB (group PH); and 4) experimental periodontitis plus hydrogel with PTB (group PP). The therapeutic effects were evaluated by microcomputed tomographic imaging of periodontal bone level (PBL) loss and histomorphometry for inflammatory cell infiltration and collagen density. PTB was released faster at pH 5.5 to 6.5 and consistently slower at pH 7.4. In the induction phase, PBL and inflammatory cell infiltration were significantly reduced in group PP relative to group PR, and the loss of collagen matrix was significantly reduced relative to that observed in group PH. In the recovery phase, PBL and inflammatory cell infiltration were significantly reduced, and significantly greater collagen deposition was noted in group PP relative to groups PR and PH at 4 and 14 days after silk removal. Chitosan-based, pH-responsive hydrogels loaded with PTB can retard the initiation of and facilitate the recovery from experimental periodontitis.

  10. Cytocompatible in situ forming chitosan/hyaluronan hydrogels via a metal-free click chemistry for soft tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Ming; Ma, Ye; Mao, Jiahui; Zhang, Ziwei; Tan, Huaping

    2015-07-01

    Injectable hydrogels are important cell scaffolding materials for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Here, we report a new class of biocompatible and biodegradable polysaccharide hydrogels derived from chitosan and hyaluronan via a metal-free click chemistry, without the addition of copper catalyst. For the metal-free click reaction, chitosan and hyaluronan were modified with oxanorbornadiene (OB) and 11-azido-3,6,9-trioxaundecan-1-amine (AA), respectively. The gelation is attributed to the triazole ring formation between OB and azido groups of polysaccharide derivatives. The molecular structures were verified by FT-IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis, giving substitution degrees of 58% and 47% for chitosan-OB and hyaluronan-AA, respectively. The in vitro gelation, morphologies, equilibrium swelling, compressive modulus and degradation of the composite hydrogels were examined. The potential of the metal-free hydrogel as a cell scaffold was demonstrated by encapsulation of human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) within the gel matrix in vitro. Cell culture showed that this metal-free hydrogel could support survival and proliferation of ASCs. A preliminary in vivo study demonstrated the usefulness of the hydrogel as an injectable scaffold for adipose tissue engineering. These characteristics provide a potential opportunity to use the metal-free click chemistry in preparation of biocompatible hydrogels for soft tissue engineering applications. Copyright © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Charge regulation and energy dissipation while compressing and sliding a cross-linked chitosan hydrogel layer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Chao; Thormann, Esben; Tyrode, Eric

    2015-01-01

    Interactions between a silica surface and a surface coated with a grafted cross-linked hydrogel made from chitosan/PAA multilayers are investigated, utilizing colloidal probe atomic force microscopy. Attractive double-layer forces are found to dominate the long-range interaction over a broad range...... of pH and ionic strength conditions. The deduced potential at the hydrogel/aqueous interface is found to be very low. This situation is maintained in the whole pH-range investigated, even though the degree of protonation of chitosan changes significantly. This demonstrates that pH-variations change...

  12. Structure formation in pH-sensitive hydrogels composed of sodium caseinate and N,O-carboxymethyl chitosan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Yanxia; Xie, Rui; Lin, Yanbin; Xu, Yunfei; Wang, Fengxia; Liang, Wanfu; Zhang, Ji

    2016-08-01

    The pH-sensitive hydrogels composed of sodium caseinate (SC) and N,O-carboxymethyl chitosan (NOCC) were prepared and a new method to characterize the gelation process was presented in this work. Reological tests suggested that RSC/NOCC=3/7 (the weight ratio of SC and NOCC) was the best ratio of hydrogel. The well-developed three-dimensional network structures in the hydrogel were confirmed by AFM. Two structural parameters, tIS and tCS, denoted as the initial and critical structure formation time, respectively, were used to provide an exact determination of the start of structure formation and description of gelation process. The gelation process strongly depended on temperature changes, a high temperature resulted in an early start of gelation. The non-kinetic model suggested the higher activation energy in the higher temperatures was disadvantageous to structure formation, and vice versa. Due to the smart gel reported here was very stable at room temperature, we believed that the gel is required for applications in drug delivery or could be exploited in the development of potential application as molecular switches in the future. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Influence of Irradiated Chitosan on Growth and Flower Quality of Gladiolus at Different Sowing Dates and Synthesis of Radiation Cross-Linked Poly(Acrylic Acid) Hydrogel for Agriculture Applications. Chapter 14

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Habib, U.; Ahmed, N. [Department of Horticulture, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi (Pakistan); Zahid, S.; Yashin, T., E-mail: yasintariq@yahoo.com [Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Islamabad (Pakistan)

    2014-07-15

    The plant growth promoter activity of irradiated chitosan on Gladiolus hortulanus cv. Amsterdam was studied. Chitosan was applied in the form of foliar spray at third leaf stage. Corms were sown at three different dates with 15-day intervals. Data on several parameters such as survival percentage, leaf area, plant height, number of florets per spike, and vase life were collected. Chitosan-treated plants showed superior results as compared to the control samples. Acrylic acid-based superabsorbent hydrogel was prepared using phenyltriethoxysilane (PTES) as cross-linker. Different amounts of PTES were incorporated and irradiated at different doses of up to a maximum of 30 kGy. The cross-linked acrylic acid showed hydrogel properties, and its swelling kinetics, gel fraction, and equilibrium degree of swelling (EDS) were studied. The swelling of hydrogel was also affected by pH, ionic strength, and temperature. These hydrogels can be further explored as a super water absorbent material in semi-arid and drought prone areas. (author)

  14. Chitosan-Cellulose Multifunctional Hydrogel Beads: Design, Characterization and Evaluation of Cytocompatibility with Breast Adenocarcinoma and Osteoblast Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trivedi, Poonam; Saloranta-Simell, Tiina; Maver, Uroš; Gradišnik, Lidija; Prabhakar, Neeraj; Smått, Jan-Henrik; Mohan, Tamilselvan; Gericke, Martin; Heinze, Thomas; Fardim, Pedro

    2018-01-09

    Cytocompatible polysaccharide-based functional scaffolds are potential extracellular matrix candidates for soft and hard tissue engineering. This paper describes a facile approach to design cytocompatible, non-toxic, and multifunctional chitosan-cellulose based hydrogel beads utilising polysaccharide dissolution in sodium hydroxide-urea-water solvent system and coagulation under three different acidic conditions, namely 2 M acetic acid, 2 M hydrochloric acid, and 2 M sulfuric acid. The effect of coagulating medium on the final chemical composition of the hydrogel beads is investigated by spectroscopic techniques (ATR-FTIR, Raman, NMR), and elemental analysis. The beads coagulated in 2 M acetic acid displayed an unchanged chitosan composition with free amino groups, while the beads coagulated in 2 M hydrochloric and sulfuric acid showed protonation of amino groups and ionic interaction with the counterions. The ultrastructural morphological study of lyophilized beads showed that increased chitosan content enhanced the porosity of the hydrogel beads. Furthermore, cytocompatibility evaluation of the hydrogel beads with human breast adenocarcinoma cells (soft tissue) showed that the beads coagulated in 2 M acetic acid are the most suitable for this type of cells in comparison to other coagulating systems. The acetic acid fabricated hydrogel beads also support osteoblast growth and adhesion over 192 h. Thus, in future, these hydrogel beads can be tested in the in vitro studies related to breast cancer and for bone regeneration.

  15. Electrically conductive gold nanoparticle-chitosan thermosensitive hydrogels for cardiac tissue engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baei, Payam [Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Cardiovascular Engineering Laboratory, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Jalili-Firoozinezhad, Sasan [Department of Biomedicine and Surgery, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Hebelstrasse 20, CH-4031 Basel (Switzerland); Department of Bioengineeringand IBB - Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa (Portugal); Rajabi-Zeleti, Sareh [Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Tafazzoli-Shadpour, Mohammad [Cardiovascular Engineering Laboratory, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Baharvand, Hossein, E-mail: Baharvand@royaninstitute.org [Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Department of Developmental Biology, University of Science and Culture, ACECR, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Aghdami, Nasser, E-mail: Nasser.Aghdami@royaninstitute.org [Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2016-06-01

    Injectable hydrogels that resemble electromechanical properties of the myocardium are crucial for cardiac tissue engineering prospects. We have developed a facile approach that uses chitosan (CS) to generate a thermosensitive conductive hydrogel with a highly porous network of interconnected pores. Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were evenly dispersed throughout the CS matrix in order to provide electrical cues. The gelation response and electrical conductivity of the hydrogel were controlled by different concentrations of GNPs. The CS-GNP hydrogels were seeded with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and cultivated for up to 14 days in the absence of electrical stimulations. CS-GNP scaffolds supported viability, metabolism, migration and proliferation of MSCs along with the development of uniform cellular constructs. Immunohistochemistry for early and mature cardiac markers showed enhanced cardiomyogenic differentiation of MSCs within the CS-GNP compared to the CS matrix alone. The results of this study demonstrate that incorporation of nanoscale electro-conductive GNPs into CS hydrogels enhances the properties of myocardial constructs. These constructs could find utilization for regeneration of other electroactive tissues. - Highlights: • Thermosensitive electro-conductive hydrogels were prepared from CS and GNPs. • Gelation time and conductivity were tuned by varying concentration of GNPs. • CS-2GNP with gelation time of 25.7 min and conductivity of 0.13 S·m{sup −1} was selected for in vitro studies. • CS-2GNP supported active metabolism, migration and proliferation of MSCs. • Expression of cardiac markers increased about two-fold in CS-2GNP compared to CS.

  16. Electrically conductive gold nanoparticle-chitosan thermosensitive hydrogels for cardiac tissue engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baei, Payam; Jalili-Firoozinezhad, Sasan; Rajabi-Zeleti, Sareh; Tafazzoli-Shadpour, Mohammad; Baharvand, Hossein; Aghdami, Nasser

    2016-01-01

    Injectable hydrogels that resemble electromechanical properties of the myocardium are crucial for cardiac tissue engineering prospects. We have developed a facile approach that uses chitosan (CS) to generate a thermosensitive conductive hydrogel with a highly porous network of interconnected pores. Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were evenly dispersed throughout the CS matrix in order to provide electrical cues. The gelation response and electrical conductivity of the hydrogel were controlled by different concentrations of GNPs. The CS-GNP hydrogels were seeded with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and cultivated for up to 14 days in the absence of electrical stimulations. CS-GNP scaffolds supported viability, metabolism, migration and proliferation of MSCs along with the development of uniform cellular constructs. Immunohistochemistry for early and mature cardiac markers showed enhanced cardiomyogenic differentiation of MSCs within the CS-GNP compared to the CS matrix alone. The results of this study demonstrate that incorporation of nanoscale electro-conductive GNPs into CS hydrogels enhances the properties of myocardial constructs. These constructs could find utilization for regeneration of other electroactive tissues. - Highlights: • Thermosensitive electro-conductive hydrogels were prepared from CS and GNPs. • Gelation time and conductivity were tuned by varying concentration of GNPs. • CS-2GNP with gelation time of 25.7 min and conductivity of 0.13 S·m"−"1 was selected for in vitro studies. • CS-2GNP supported active metabolism, migration and proliferation of MSCs. • Expression of cardiac markers increased about two-fold in CS-2GNP compared to CS.

  17. Wound healing properties of PVA/starch/chitosan hydrogel membranes with nano Zinc oxide as antibacterial wound dressing material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baghaie, Shaghayegh; Khorasani, Mohammad T; Zarrabi, Ali; Moshtaghian, Jamal

    2017-12-01

    In this work, hydrogel membranes were developed based on poly vinyl alcohol (PVA), starch (St), and chitosan (Cs) hydrogels with nano Zinc oxide (nZnO). PVA/St/Cs/nZnO hydrogel membranes were prepared by freezing-thawing cycles, and the aqueous PVA/St solutions were prepared by dissolving PVA in distilled water. After the dissolution of PVA, starch was mixed, and the mixture was stirred. Then, chitosan powder was added into acetic acid, and the mixture was stirred to form a chitosan solution. Subsequently, Cs, St and PVA solutions were blended together to form a homogeneous PVA/St/Cs ternary blend solution. Measurement of Equilibrium Swelling Ratio (ESR), Water Vapor Transmission Test (WVTR), mechanical properties, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), MTT [3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide] assay, antibacterial studies, in vivo wound healing effect and histopathology of the hydrogel membranes were then performed. The examination revealed that the hydrogel membranes were more effective as a wound dressing in the early stages of wound healing and that the gel could be used in topic applications requiring a large spectrum of antibacterial activity; namely, as a bandage for wound dressing.

  18. Modulating release of ranibizumab and aflibercept from thiolated chitosan-based hydrogels for potential treatment of ocular neovascularization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreno, Miguel; Pow, Poh Yih; Tabitha, Tan Su Teng; Nirmal, Sonali; Larsson, Andreas; Radhakrishnan, Krishna; Nirmal, Jayabalan; Quah, Soo Tng; Geifman Shochat, Susana; Agrawal, Rupesh; Venkatraman, Subbu

    2017-08-01

    This paper describes the synthesis of thiolated chitosan-based hydrogels with varying degrees of crosslinking that has been utilized to modulate release kinetics of two clinically relevant FDA-approved anti-VEGF protein drugs, ranibizumab and aflibercept. These hydrogels have been fabricated into disc shaped structures for potential use as patches on ocular surface. Protein conformational changes and aggregation after loading and release was evaluated by circular dichroism (CD), steady-state tryptophan fluorescence spectroscopy, electrophoresis and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). Finally, the capacity of both released proteins to bind to VEGF was tested by ELISA and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technology. The study demonstrates the versatility of thiolated chitosan-based hydrogels for delivering proteins. The effect of various parameters of the hydrogel on protein release kinetics and mechanism of protein release was studied using the Korsmeyer-Peppas release model. Furthermore, we have studied the stability of released proteins in detail while comparing it with non-entrapped proteins under physiological conditions to understand the effect of formulation conditions on protein stability. The disc-shaped thiolated chitosan-based hydrogels provide a potentially useful platform to deliver ranibizumab and aflibercept for the treatments of ocular diseases such as wet AMD, DME and corneal neovascularization.

  19. Enhanced mechanical properties of thermosensitive chitosan hydrogel by silk fibers for cartilage tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirahmadi, Fereshteh; Tafazzoli-Shadpour, Mohammad; Shokrgozar, Mohammad Ali; Bonakdar, Shahin

    2013-12-01

    Articular cartilage has limited repair capability following traumatic injuries and current methods of treatment remain inefficient. Reconstructing cartilage provides a new way for cartilage repair and natural polymers are often used as scaffold because of their biocompatibility and biofunctionality. In this study, we added degummed chopped silk fibers and electrospun silk fibers to the thermosensitive chitosan/glycerophosphate hydrogels to reinforce two hydrogel constructs which were used as scaffold for hyaline cartilage regeneration. The gelation temperature and gelation time of hydrogel were analyzed by the rheometer and vial tilting method. Mechanical characterization was measured by uniaxial compression, indentation and dynamic mechanical analysis assay. Chondrocytes were then harvested from the knee joint of the New Zealand white rabbits and cultured in constructs. The cell proliferation, viability, production of glycosaminoglycans and collagen type II were assessed. The results showed that mechanical properties of the hydrogel were significantly enhanced when a hybrid with two layers of electrospun silk fibers was made. The results of GAG and collagen type II in cell-seeded scaffolds indicate support of the chondrogenic phenotype for chondrocytes with a significant increase in degummed silk fiber-hydrogel composite for GAG content and in two-layer electrospun fiber-hydrogel composite for Col II. It was concluded that these two modified scaffolds could be employed for cartilage tissue engineering. © 2013.

  20. Hydrogels as adsorbents of organo-sulphur compounds currently found in diesel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aburto, J.; Mendez-Orozco, A.; Borgne, S.L. [Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo, Programa de Biotecnologia del Petroleo, Col. Sn. Bartolo Atepehuacan, Mexico (Mexico)

    2004-07-01

    Hydrogels of chitosan were synthesised using glutaric dialdehyde as the crosslinking agent in an acetonitrile/water solution (1:4, v/v). These hydrogels recognised and adsorbed the dibenzothiophene sulfone (DBTS) against other related compounds found in diesel, e.g. dibenzothiophene (DBT), fluorene (FLE) and 4,6-dimethyl DBT (DMDBT). In order to improve the recognition and adsorption of DBTS, the latter compound served as a template for the building of recognition sites inside the hydrogel matrix through the use of the molecular imprinting technique (MIT). Despite the adsorption capacity of the molecular imprinted hydrogel (MIH) was not increased, the imprinting process of chitosan allowed both an enhancement of two orders of magnitude in ligand affinity constant and material homogeneity as seen by SEM. The change in swelling degree (Q) suggested the presence of a conformational memory of the hydrogel that might allow the design of stimuli-response but also tailored-made hydrogels responding at a required factor as temperature. The imprinting process improved ligand recognition and consequently hydrogel's specificity as shown by a monolayer adsorption. In contrast, the adsorption isotherm of DBTS by the non-imprinted hydrogel showed a multilayer adsorption due to non-specific interactions. (author)

  1. Multi-membrane chitosan hydrogels as chondrocytic cell bioreactors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ladet, S G; Tahiri, K; Montembault, A S; Domard, A J; Corvol, M-T M

    2011-08-01

    We investigated the bioactivity of new chitosan-based multi-membrane hydrogel (MMH) architectures towards chondrocyte-like cells. The microstructure of the hydrogels constituting the membranes precludes any living cell penetration, whereas their lower scale architecture allows the protein diffusion. The biological behavior of chondrocytes implanted within the MMH inter-membrane spaces was studied for 45 days in culture. Chondrocytes formed cell aggregates and proliferated without loosing their chondrogenic phenotype as illustrated by collagen II and aggrecan expressions at the mRNA and protein levels. Cells produced neo-formed alcyan blue matrix proteins filling MMH interspaces. The HiF-2α/SOX9 pattern of expression suggested that the elevated chondrocytic phenotype in MMH could be related to a better hypoxic local environment than in classical culture conditions. Pro-inflammatory markers were not expressed during the period of culture. The low level of nitric oxide accumulation within the inter-membrane spaces and in the incubation medium implied that chitosan consumed nitrites produced by entrapped chondrocytes, in relation with the decrease of its molecular weight of 50%. Our data suggest that MMH structures may be considered as complex chondrocytic cell bioreactors; "active decoys of biological media", potentially promising for various biomedical applications like the inter-vertebral disk replacement. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Synthesis and characterization of chitosan-graft-poly(acrylic acid)/rice husk ash hydrogels composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodrigues, Francisco H.A.; Lopes, Gabriel V.; Pereira, Antonio G.B.; Fajardo, Andre R.; Muniz, Edvani C.

    2011-01-01

    According to environmental concerns, super absorbent hydrogel composites were synthesized based on rice husk ash (RHA), an industrial waste, and Chitosan-graft-poly(acrylic acid). The WAXS and FTIR data confirmed the syntheses of hydrogel composites. The effect of crystalline or amorphous RHA on water uptake was investigated. It was found that the RHA in crystalline form induces higher water capacity (W eq ) of composites hydrogels due to the fact that the intra-interactions among silanol groups on RHA make available new sites in the polymer matrix, which could interact to water. (author)

  3. Fabrication of Hyaluronan-Poly(vinylphosphonic acid-Chitosan Hydrogel for Wound Healing Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dang Hoang Phuc

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available A new hydrogel made of hyaluronan, poly(vinylphosphonic acid, and chitosan (HA/PVPA/CS hydrogel was fabricated and characterized to be used for skin wound healing application. Firstly, the component ratio of hydrogel was studied to optimize the reaction effectiveness. Next, its microstructure was observed by light microscope. The chemical interaction in hydrogel was evaluated by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy. Then, a study on its degradation rate was performed. After that, antibacterial activity of the hydrogel was examined by agar diffusion method. Finally, in vivo study was performed to evaluate hydrogel’s biocompatibility. The results showed that the optimized hydrogel had a three-dimensional highly porous structure with the pore size ranging from about 25 µm to less than 125 µm. Besides, with a degradation time of two weeks, it could give enough time for the formation of extracellular matrix framework during remodeling stages. Furthermore, the antibacterial test showed that hydrogel has antimicrobial activity against E. coli. Finally, in vivo study indicated that the hydrogel was not rejected by the immune system and could enhance wound healing process. Overall, HA/PVPA/CS hydrogel was successfully fabricated and results implied its potential for wound healing applications.

  4. Semi-Interpenetrating polymer network hydrogels based on aspen hemicellulose and chitosan: Effect of crosslinking sequence on hydrogel properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muzaffer Ahmet Karaaslan; Mandla A. Tshabalala; Gisela Buschle-Diller

    2012-01-01

    Semi-interpenetrating network hydrogel films were prepared using hemicellulose and chemically crosslinked chitosan. Hemicellulose was extracted from aspen by using a novel alkaline treatment and characterized by HPSEC, and consisted of a mixture of high and low molecular weight polymeric fractions. HPLC analysis of the acid hydrolysate of the hemicellulose showed that...

  5. Growth of MCF-7 breast cancer cells and efficacy of anti-angiogenic agents in a hydroxyethyl chitosan/glycidyl methacrylate hydrogel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hejing; Qian, Junmin; Zhang, Yaping; Xu, Weijun; Xiao, Juxiang; Suo, Aili

    2017-01-01

    Breast cancer negatively affects women's health worldwide. The tumour microenvironment plays a critical role in tumour initiation, proliferation, and metastasis. Cancer cells are traditionally grown in two-dimensional (2D) cultures as monolayers on a flat solid surface lacking cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. These experimental conditions deviate from the clinical situation. Improved experimental systems that can mimic the in vivo situation are required to discover new therapies, particularly for anti-angiogenic agents that mainly target intercellular factors and play an essential role in treating some cancers. Chitosan can be modified to construct three-dimensional (3D) tumour models. Here, we report an in vitro 3D tumour model using a hydroxyethyl chitosan/glycidyl methacrylate (HECS-GMA) hydrogel produced by a series of chitosan modifications. Parameters relating to cell morphology, viability, proliferation, and migration were analysed using breast cancer MCF-7 cells. In a xenograft model, secretion of angiogenesis-related growth factors and the anti-angiogenic efficacy of Endostar and Bevacizumab in cells grown in HECS-GMA hydrogels were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Hydroxyethyl chitosan/glycidyl methacrylate hydrogels had a highly porous microstructure, mechanical properties, swelling ratio, and morphology consistent with a 3D tumour model. Compared with a 2D monolayer culture, breast cancer MCF-7 cells residing in the HECS-GMA hydrogels grew as tumour-like clusters in a 3D formation. In a xenograft model, MCF-7 cells cultured in the HECS-GMA hydrogels had increased secretion of angiogenesis-related growth factors. Recombinant human endostatin (Endostar), but not Bevacizumab (Avastin), was an effective anti-angiogenic agent in HECS-GMA hydrogels. The HECS-GMA hydrogel provided a 3D tumour model that mimicked the in vivo cancer microenvironment and supported the growth of MCF7 cells better than traditional tissue culture plates. The HECS

  6. Bioprinted chitosan-gelatin thermosensitive hydrogels using an inexpensive 3D printer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roehm, Kevin D; Madihally, Sundararajan V

    2017-11-30

    The primary bottleneck in bioprinting cell-laden structures with carefully controlled spatial relation is a lack of biocompatible inks and printing conditions. In this regard, we explored using thermogelling chitosan-gelatin (CG) hydrogel as a novel bioprinting ink; CG hydrogels are unique in that it undergoes a spontaneous phase change at physiological temperature, and does not need post-processing. In addition, we used a low cost (printer, and modified with a new extruder to print using disposable syringes and hypodermic needles. We investigated (i) the effect of concentration of CG on gelation characteristics, (ii) solution preparation steps (centrifugation, mixing, and degassing) on printability and fiber formation, (iii) the print bed temperature profiles via IR imaging and grid-based assessment using thermocouples, (iv) the effect of feed rate (10-480 cm min -1 ), flow rate (15-60 μl min -1 ) and needle height (70-280 μm) on fiber size and characteristics, and (v) the distribution of neuroblastoma cells in printed fibers, and the viability after five days in culture. We used agarose gel to create uniform print surfaces to maintain a constant gap with the needle tip. These results showed that degassing the solution, and precooling the solution was necessary for obtaining continuous fibers. Fiber size decreased from 760, to 243 μm as the feed rate increased from 10 to 100 cm min -1 . Bed temperature played the greatest role in fiber size, followed by feed rate. Increased needle height initially decreased fiber size but then increased showing an optimum. Cells were well distributed within the fibers and exhibited excellent viability and no contamination after 5 d. Overall we printed 3D, sterile, cell-laden structures with an inexpensive bioprinter and a novel ink, without post-processing. The bioprinter described here and the novel CG hydrogels have significant potential as an ink for bioprinitng various cell-laden structures.

  7. Injectable self-healing carboxymethyl chitosan-zinc supramolecular hydrogels and their antibacterial activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wahid, Fazli; Zhou, Ya-Ning; Wang, Hai-Song; Wan, Tong; Zhong, Cheng; Chu, Li-Qiang

    2018-04-07

    Injectable and self-healing hydrogels have found numerous applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering and 3D cell culture. Herein, we report an injectable self-healing carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCh) supramolecular hydrogels cross-linked by zinc ions (Zn 2+ ). Supramolecular hydrogels were obtained by simple addition of metal ions solution to CMCh solution at an appropriate pH value. The mechanical properties of these hydrogels were adjustable by the concentration of Zn 2+ . For example, the hydrogel with the highest concentration of Zn 2+ (CMCh-Zn4) showed strongest mechanical properties (storage modulus~11,000Pa) while hydrogel with the lowest concentration of Zn 2+ (CMCh-Zn1) showed weakest mechanical properties (storage modulus~220Pa). As observed visually and confirmed rheologically, the CMCh-Zn1 hydrogel with the lowest Zn 2+ concentration showed thixotropic property. CMCh-Zn1 hydrogel also presented injectable property. Moreover, the antibacterial properties of the prepared supramolecular hydrogels were studied against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) by agar well diffusion method. The results revealed Zn 2+ dependent antibacterial properties against both kinds of strains. The inhibition zones were ranging from ~11-24mm and ~10-22mm against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. We believe that the prepared supramolecular hydrogels could be used as a potential candidate in biomedical fields. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Experimental evaluation of photocrosslinkable chitosan as a biologic adhesive with surgical applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ono, K; Ishihara, M; Ozeki, Y; Deguchi, H; Sato, M; Saito, Y; Yura, H; Sato, M; Kikuchi, M; Kurita, A; Maehara, T

    2001-11-01

    In various surgical cases, effective tissue adhesives are required for both hemostasis (eg, intraoperative bleeding) and air sealing (eg, thoracic surgery). We have designed a chitosan molecule (Az-CH-LA) that can be photocrosslinked by ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation, thereby forming a hydrogel. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the photocrosslinkable chitosan hydrogel as an adhesive with surgical applications. The sealing ability of the chitosan hydrogel, determined as a bursting pressure, was assessed with removed thoracic aorta, trachea, and lung of farm pigs and in a rabbit model. The carotid artery and lung of rabbits were punctured with a needle, and the chitosan hydrogel was applied to, respectively, stop the bleeding and the air leakage. In vivo chitosan degradability and biologic responses were histologically assessed in animal models. The bursting pressure of chitosan hydrogel (30 mg/mL) and fibrin glue, respectively, was 225 +/- 25 mm Hg (mean +/- SD) and 80 +/- 20 mm Hg in the thoracic aorta; 77 +/- 29 mm Hg and 48 +/- 21 mm Hg in the trachea; and in the lung, 51 +/- 11 mm Hg (chitosan hydrogel), 62 +/- 4 mm Hg (fibrin glue, rubbing method), and 12 +/- 2 mm Hg (fibrin glue, layer method). The sealing ability of the chitosan hydrogel was stronger than that of fibrin glue. All rabbits with a carotid artery (n = 8) or lung (n = 8) that was punctured with a needle and then sealed with chitosan hydrogel survived the 1-month observation period without any bleeding or air leakage from the puncture sites. Histologic examinations demonstrated that 30 days after application, a fraction of the chitosan hydrogel was phagocytosed by macrophages, had partially degraded, and had induced the formation of fibrous tissues around the hydrogel. A newly developed photocrosslinkable chitosan has demonstrated strong sealing ability and a great potential for use as an adhesive in surgical operations.

  9. Characterization of physicochemical and colloidal properties of hydrogel chitosan-coated iron-oxide nanoparticles for cancer therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Catalano, E; Di Benedetto, A

    2017-01-01

    Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles have recently been investigated for their potential to kill cancer cells with promising results, owing to their ability to be targeted and heated by magnetic fields. In this study, novel hydrogel, chitosan Fe 3 O 4 magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized to induce magnetic hyperthermia, and targeted delivering of chemotherapeutics in the cancer microenvironment. The characteristic properties of synthesized bare and CS-MNPs were analyzed by various analytical methods: X-ray diffraction, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy and Thermo-gravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis. Magnetic nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using the co-precipitation method. This synthesis technique resulted in nanoparticles with an average particle size of 16 nm. The pure obtained nanoparticles were then successfully encapsulated with 4-nm-thick chitosan coating. The formation of chitosan on the surface of nanoparticles was confirmed by physicochemical analyses. Heating experiments at safe magnetic field (f = 100 kHz, H =10-20 kA m -1 ) revealed that the maximum achieved temperature of water stable chitosan-coated nanoparticles (50 mg ml -1 ) is fully in agreement with cancer therapy and biomedical applications. (paper)

  10. Characterization of physicochemical and colloidal properties of hydrogel chitosan-coated iron-oxide nanoparticles for cancer therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Catalano, E.; Di Benedetto, A.

    2017-05-01

    Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles have recently been investigated for their potential to kill cancer cells with promising results, owing to their ability to be targeted and heated by magnetic fields. In this study, novel hydrogel, chitosan Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized to induce magnetic hyperthermia, and targeted delivering of chemotherapeutics in the cancer microenvironment. The characteristic properties of synthesized bare and CS-MNPs were analyzed by various analytical methods: X-ray diffraction, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy and Thermo-gravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis. Magnetic nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using the co-precipitation method. This synthesis technique resulted in nanoparticles with an average particle size of 16 nm. The pure obtained nanoparticles were then successfully encapsulated with 4-nm-thick chitosan coating. The formation of chitosan on the surface of nanoparticles was confirmed by physicochemical analyses. Heating experiments at safe magnetic field (f = 100 kHz, H =10-20 kA m-1) revealed that the maximum achieved temperature of water stable chitosan-coated nanoparticles (50 mg ml-1) is fully in agreement with cancer therapy and biomedical applications.

  11. Degradation of chitosan hydrogel dispersed in dilute carboxylic acids by solution plasma and evaluation of anticancer activity of degraded products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chokradjaroen, Chayanaphat; Rujiravanit, Ratana; Theeramunkong, Sewan; Saito, Nagahiro

    2018-01-01

    Chitosan is a polysaccharide that has been extensively studied in the field of biomedicine, especially its water-soluble degraded products called chitooligosaccharides (COS). In this study, COS were produced by the degradation of chitosan hydrogel dispersed in a dilute solution (i.e., 1.55 mM) of various kinds of carboxylic acids using a non-thermal plasma technology called solution plasma (SP). The degradation rates of chitosan were influenced by the type of carboxylic acids, depending on the interaction between chitosan and each carboxylic acid. After SP treatment, the water-soluble degraded products containing COS could be easily separated from the water-insoluble residue of chitosan hydrogel by centrifugation. The production yields of the COS were mostly higher than 55%. Furthermore, the obtained COS products were evaluated for their inhibitory effect as well as their selectivity against human lung cancer cells (H460) and human lung normal cells (MRC-5).

  12. Composite hydrogel of chitosan-poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) with chondroitin sulfate nanoparticles for nucleus pulposus tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nair, Manitha B; Baranwal, Gaurav; Vijayan, Prajuna; Keyan, Kripa S; Jayakumar, R

    2015-12-01

    Intervertebral disc degeneration, occurring mainly in nucleus pulposus (NP), is a leading cause of low back pain. In seeking to mitigate this condition, investigators in the field of NP tissue engineering have increasingly studied the use of hydrogels. However, these hydrogels should possess appropriate mechanical strength and swelling pressure, and concurrently support the proliferation of chondrocyte-like cells. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a composite hydrogel for NP tissue engineering, made of chitosan-poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) (CP) with chondroitin sulfate (CS) nanoparticles, without using a cross linker. The water uptake ability, as well as the viscoelastic properties of this composite hydrogel, was similar to native tissue, as reflected in the complex shear modulus and stress relaxation values. The hydrogel could withstand varying stress corresponding to daily activities like lying down (0.01 MPa), sitting (0.5 MPa) and standing (1.0 MPa) under dynamic conditions. The hydrogels were stable in PBS for 2 weeks and its stiffness, elastic and viscous modulus did not alter significantly during this period. Both CP and CP-CS hydrogels could assist the viability and adhesion of adipose derived rat mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs). The viability and chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs was significantly enhanced in presence of CS nanoparticles. Thus, CS nanoparticles-incorporated chitosan-PHBV hydrogels offer great potential for NP tissue engineering. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Evaluation of the chitosan/glycerol-β-phosphate disodium salt hydrogel application in peripheral nerve regeneration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zheng Lu; Zhang Xiufang; Gong Yandao; Ao Qiang; Han Hongyan

    2010-01-01

    Research efforts have been devoted to evaluating the application of the chitosan (CS)/glycerol-β-phosphate (GP) disodium salt hydrogel in peripheral nerve regeneration. The gelation time was determined to be 770 s using ultraviolet spectrophotometry. A standard 10 mm long rat sciatic nerve defect model was employed, followed by bridging the proximal and distal stumps with chitosan conduits injected with the Schwann cell-containing hydrogel. Injections of the blank hydrogel, Schwann cell suspension and culture medium were used as controls. Two months later, electrophysiological assessment and fluorogold retrograde tracing showed that compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) and fluorogold-labeled neurons were only detected in the Schwann cell suspension group and culture medium group. The rats were then killed, and implanted conduits were removed for examination. There were no regenerated nerves found in groups injected with the blank hydrogel or Schwann cell-containing hydrogel, while the other two groups clearly displayed regenerated nerves across the gaps. In the subsequent histological assessment, immunohistochemistry, toluidine blue staining and transmission electron microscopy were performed to evaluate the regenerated nerves. The relative wet weight ratio, Masson trichrome staining and acetylcholinesterase staining were employed for the examination of gastrocnemius muscles in all four groups. The Schwann cell suspension group showed the best results for all these indexes; the culture medium group ranked second and the two hydrogel-injected groups showed the least optimal results. In conclusion, our data revealed that the implanted CS/GP hydrogel actually impeded nerve regeneration, which is inconsistent with former in vitro reports and general supposition. We believe that the application of the CS/GP hydrogel in nerve regeneration requires a further study before a satisfactory result is obtained. In addition, the present study also confirmed that Schwann

  14. THE USE OF A NOVEL ALDEHYDE-FUNCTIONALIZED CHITOSAN HYDROGEL TO PREPARE POROUS TUBULAR SCAFFOLDS FOR VASCULAR TISSUE ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo P. Azevedo

    Full Text Available In this work, porous tubular scaffolds were prepared from a novel water soluble aldehyde-functionalized chitosan (ALDCHIT hydrogel, which was obtained by dissolving this chitosan derivative in water and using oxidized dextrose (OXDEXT as the crosslinking agent at different ALDCHIT:OXDEXT mole ratios (10:1, 10:2 and 10:4. By increasing the amount of OXDEXT in respect to ALDCHIT the hydrogels became more rigid and could absorb more than 200% of its weight in water. Since the ALDCHIT:OXDEXT 10:4 was the most stable hydrogel, its ability to form porous tubular scaffolds was investigated. The tubular scaffolds were prepared by the lyophilization method, where the orientation of the pores was controlled by exposing either the internal or the external surface of the frozen hydrogel during the sublimation step. When only the inner surface of the frozen hydrogel was exposed, tubular scaffolds with a highly porous lumen and a sealed outer surface were obtained, where the orientation of the pores, their sizes and interconnectivity seem to be optimum for vascular tissue engineering application.

  15. A novel hydrogel of poloxamer 407 and chitosan obtained by gamma irradiation exhibits physicochemical properties for wound management

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leyva-Gómez, Gerardo, E-mail: gerardoleyva@hotmail.com [Laboratory of Connective Tissue, Centro Nacional de Investigación y Atención de Quemados, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Mexico City (Mexico); Santillan-Reyes, Erika, E-mail: kikita5410@gmail.com [Laboratory of Connective Tissue, Centro Nacional de Investigación y Atención de Quemados, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Mexico City (Mexico); Lima, E, E-mail: lima@iim.unam.mx [Departamento de Materiales Metálicos y Cerámicos, Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City (Mexico); Madrid-Martínez, Abigail, E-mail: abitzy@hotmail.com [Laboratory of Connective Tissue, Centro Nacional de Investigación y Atención de Quemados, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Mexico City (Mexico); Krötzsch, E, E-mail: kroted@yahoo.com.mx [Laboratory of Connective Tissue, Centro Nacional de Investigación y Atención de Quemados, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Mexico City (Mexico); and others

    2017-05-01

    Application of polymers cross-linked by gamma irradiation on cutaneous wounds has resulted in the improvement of healing. Chitosan (CH) and poloxamer 407 (P407)-based hydrogels confer different advantages in wound management. To combine the properties of both compounds, a gamma-irradiated mixture of 0.75/25% (w/w) CH and P407, respectively, was obtained (CH-P), and several physical, chemical, and biological analyses were performed. Notably, gamma radiation induced changes in the mixture's thermal behavior, viscosity, and swelling, and exhibited stability at neutral pH. The thermal reversibility provided by P407 and the bacteriostatic effect of CH were maintained. Mice full-thickness wounds treated with CH-P diminished the wound area during the first days. Consequently, with this treatment, increased levels of macrophages, α-SMA, and collagen deposition in wounds were observed, indicating a more mature scar tissue. In conclusion, the new hydrogel CH-P, at physiologic pH, combined the beneficial characteristics of both polymers and produced new properties for wound management. - Highlights: • ϒ-irradiation of chitosan + poloxamer 407 produced a hydrogel (CH-P) to wound care. • ϒ-irradiation allows chitosan (CH) solubility at physiological pH (CH-P 7). • CH-P 7 copolymer exhibits antimicrobial/antifungal features. • CH-P 7 hydrogel stimulates early wound-closure rate. • CH-P 7 increases collagen deposition and macrophage/fibroblasts recruitment.

  16. Sorption of zinc by novel pH-sensitive hydrogels based on chitosan, itaconic acid and methacrylic acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Milosavljevic, Nedeljko B.; Ristic, Mirjana D.; Peric-Grujic, Aleksandra A.; Filipovic, Jovanka M.; Strbac, Svetlana B.; Rakocevic, Zlatko Lj.; Kalagasidis Krusic, Melina T.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → A removal of Zn 2+ ions by pH-sensitive Ch/IA/MAA hydrogel from aqueous solutions was studied. → SEM/EDX analysis and AFM surface topography indicate that sorption takes place on the surface of the hydrogel and in the bulk. → FTIR spectra of the Ch/IA/MAA hydrogel, free and Zn-loaded, indicate that -NH 2 , -OH and -COOH groups are involved in the sorption process. → The negative values of free energy and enthalpy indicated that the adsorption is spontaneous and exothermic one. → The adsorption capacities did not show any significant decrease after the third reuse cycle. - Abstract: Novel pH-sensitive hydrogels based on chitosan, itaconic acid and methacrylic acid were applied as adsorbents for the removal of Zn 2+ ions from aqueous solution. In batch tests, the influence of solution pH, contact time, initial metal ion concentration and temperature was examined. The sorption was found pH dependent, pH 5.5 being the optimum value. The adsorption process was well described by the pseudo-second order kinetic. The hydrogels were characterized by spectral (Fourier transform infrared-FTIR) and structural (SEM/EDX and atomic force microscopy-AFM) analyses. The surface topography changes were observed by atomic force microscopy, while the changes in surface composition were detected using phase imaging AFM. The negative values of free energy and enthalpy indicated that the adsorption is spontaneous and exothermic one. The best fitting isotherms were Langmuir and Redlich-Peterson and it was found that both linear and nonlinear methods were appropriate for obtaining the isotherm parameters. However, the increase of temperature leads to higher adsorption capacity, since swelling degree increased with temperature.

  17. Preparation of thermal-responsive chitosan-graft-N-isopropylacrylamide membranes via γ-ray irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mu Qing; Fang Yue'e

    2006-01-01

    Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) has been attracting increasing attention because of its thermosensitivity. Many authors have studied the reaction of chitosan with NIPAAm, with most of the interest being focused on hydrogels. Few research programs, however, were about chitosan membranes grafted with NIPAAm monomer. In this study, a novel thermo-sensitive switching membrane was prepared by radiation-induced simultaneous grafting of NIPAAm onto chitosan membrane. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to identify structure of the grafted membranes. Compared to FT-IR spectra of pristine chitosan, the new band at 1535 cm-1 in the grafted membrane was attributed to amide II of PNIPAAm. This indicated that NIPAAm was introduced onto the chitosan membrane. Surface morphology of the grafted membrane was different from the pristine chitosan membrane. The SEM images revealed cypress leaf-like structures adhered tightly to the grafted membrane surface, in comparison to smooth surface of the pristine chitosan membrane. Pure water flux measurements showed that the grafted membrane decreased with the increasing temperature, while water flux of pristine chitosan membrane was constant. It was found that the grafted membrane was sensitive to temperature. The effects of dose, dose rate and the concentration of NIPAAm on the grafting percentage were discussed. The graft yield increased with the monomer concentration and the absorbed dose. (authors)

  18. Smart Magnetically Responsive Hydrogel Nanoparticles Prepared by a Novel Aerosol-Assisted Method for Biomedical and Drug Delivery Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ibrahim M. El-Sherbiny

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available We have developed a novel spray gelation-based method to synthesize a new series of magnetically responsive hydrogel nanoparticles for biomedical and drug delivery applications. The method is based on the production of hydrogel nanoparticles from sprayed polymeric microdroplets obtained by an air-jet nebulization process that is immediately followed by gelation in a crosslinking fluid. Oligoguluronate (G-blocks was prepared through the partial acid hydrolysis of sodium alginate. PEG-grafted chitosan was also synthesized and characterized (FTIR, EA, and DSC. Then, magnetically responsive hydrogel nanoparticles based on alginate and alginate/G-blocks were synthesized via aerosolization followed by either ionotropic gelation or both ionotropic and polyelectrolyte complexation using CaCl2 or PEG-g-chitosan/CaCl2 as crosslinking agents, respectively. Particle size and dynamic swelling were determined using dynamic light scattering (DLS and microscopy. Surface morphology of the nanoparticles was examined using SEM. The distribution of magnetic cores within the hydrogels nanoparticles was also examined using TEM. In addition, the iron and calcium contents of the particles were estimated using EDS. Spherical magnetic hydrogel nanoparticles with average particle size of 811 ± 162 to 941 ± 2 nm were obtained. This study showed that the developed method is promising for the manufacture of hydrogel nanoparticles, and it represents a relatively simple and potential low-cost system.

  19. Thermosensitive Behavior and Antibacterial Activity of Cotton Fabric Modified with a Chitosan-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide Interpenetrating Polymer Network Hydrogel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boxiang Wang

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available To increase the themosensitive behavior and antibacterial activity of cotton fabric, a series of poly (N-isopropylacrylamide/chitosan (PNIPAAm/Cs hydrogels was synthesized by interpenetrating polymer network (IPN technology using a redox initiator. The IPN PNIPAAm/Cs hydrogel was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA. The results indicated that the IPN PNIPAAm/Cs hydrogel has a lower critical solution temperature (LCST at 33 °C. The IPN hydrogel was then used to modify cotton fabric using glutaric dialdehyde (GA as a crosslinking agent following a double-dip-double-nip process. The results demonstrated that the modified cotton fabric showed obvious thermosensitive behavior and antibacterial activity. The contact angle of the modified cotton fabric has a sharp rise around 33 °C, and the modified cotton fabric showed an obvious thermosensitive behavior. The bacterial reduction of modified cotton fabric against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus and Escherichia coli (E. coli were more than 99%. This study presents a valuable route towards smart textiles and their applications in functional clothing.

  20. Preparation and characterization of self-assembly hydrogels with exfoliated montmorillonite nanosheets and chitosan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wei; Zhao, Yunliang; Yi, Hao; Chen, Tianxing; Kang, Shichang; Li, Hongqiang; Song, Shaoxian

    2018-01-01

    Novel montmorillonite-nanosheet/chitosan (MMTNS/CS) hydrogels fabricated via the self-assembly of exfoliated MMTNS and CS chains were investigated. The exfoliation of MMTNS, self-assembly mechanism and structure of MMTNS/CS hydrogels were characterized by an atomic force microscope, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscope, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscope and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analyzer, respectively. The results indicated that MMT could be easily exfoliated to nanosheets with a thickness of 1 ˜ 5 nm in aqueous solution by an ultrasonic base upon interlayer hydration. The formation mechanism of the self-assembly hydrogels was due to the hydrogen bond (-OH ··· +NH3-) and electrostatic interaction between the MMTNS and CS. The MMTNSs were connected consecutively by CS in-plane to form a huge slice. The porous structure of the hydrogels was controllable by adjusting the MMTNS/CS mass ratio. The hydrogels could be used as adsorbents for sewage treatments, carriers for drugs, microorganisms and catalyzers due to their controllable porous structure and tremendous specific surface area which were derived from the completely exfoliated MMTNS.

  1. Self-assembly of the hydrogel polymer chain consisting of chitosan and chondroitin sulphate in the presence of theophylline

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lopes, Lais C.; Piai, Juliana F.; Fajardo, Andre R.; Rubira, Adley F.; Muniz, Edvani C.

    2009-01-01

    In this work, polyelectronic complex (PEC) consisting of two polysaccharides were developed. One is chitosan (QT), cationic polymer, produced by the chitin deacetylation and the other is chondroitin sulphate (CS), anionic polymer, extracted from bovine or porcine aorta. The PECs were prepared in the presence of theophylline (TEO) for evaluating the influence of this drug in the polymer chains reorganization, as well as, studying the mechanical properties and release of SC and TEO in aqueous solutions on different pH conditions. By the obtained results, it was observed that the 84QT/15SC/TEO (% in weight) hydrogel is pH responsive because the CS releasing is more effective at pH 8, while the release of the TEO is higher at pH 2. The hydrogel showed mechanical properties more resistant to pH 2, 8 and 10 and this was attributed to interactions between the polymer chains. Finally, the X-rays profile showed the presence of peaks associated to reorganization of the chains in the hydrogel is at times larger than the hydrogel in the absence of solute. (author)

  2. Strengthening injectable thermo-sensitive NIPAAm-g-chitosan hydrogels using chemical cross-linking of disulfide bonds as scaffolds for tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Shu-Wei; Liu, Xifeng; Miller, A Lee; Cheng, Yu-Shiuan; Yeh, Ming-Long; Lu, Lichun

    2018-07-15

    In the present study, we fabricated non-toxic, injectable, and thermo-sensitive NIPAAm-g-chitosan (NC) hydrogels with thiol modification for introduction of disulfide cross-linking strategy. Previously, NIPAAm and chitosan copolymer has been proven to have excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability and rapid phase transition after injection, suitable to serve as cell carriers or implanted scaffolds. However, weak mechanical properties significantly limit their potential for biomedical fields. In order to overcome this issue, we incorporated thiol side chains into chitosan by covalently conjugating N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) with carbodiimide chemistry to strengthen mechanical properties. After oxidation of thiols into disulfide bonds, modified NC hydrogels did improve the compressive modulus over 9 folds (11.4 kPa). Oscillatory frequency sweep showed a positive correlation between storage modulus and cross-liking density as well. Additionally, there was no cytotoxicity observed to mesenchymal stem cells, fibroblasts and osteoblasts. We suggested that the thiol-modified thermo-sensitive polysaccharide hydrogels are promising to be a cell-laden biomaterial for tissue regeneration. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Thermosensitive hydrogel based on chitosan and its derivatives containing medicated nanoparticles for transcorneal administration of 5-fluorouracil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabiano A

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Angela Fabiano,1 Ranieri Bizzarri,2 Ylenia Zambito1 1Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 2NEST, Istituto Nanoscienze CNR (CNR-NANO and Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy Abstract: A thermosensitive ophthalmic hydrogel (TSOH – fluid at 4°C (instillation temperature, semisolid at 35°C (eye temperature, which coupled the dosing accuracy and administration ease of eyedrops with the increased ocular bioavailability of a hydrogel – was prepared by gelling a chitosan hydrochloride (ChHCl solution (27.8 mg/mL medicated with 1.25 mg/mL 5-fluorouracil (5-FU with β-glycerophosphate 0.8 mg/mL. Polymer mixtures, where Ch was partially (10%, 15%, or 20% replaced by quaternary ammonium–chitosan conjugates (QA-Ch or thiolated derivatives thereof, were also used to modulate 5-FU-release properties of TSOH. Also, Ch-based nanoparticles (NPs; size after lyophilization and redispersion 341.5±15.2 nm, polydispersity 0.315±0.45, ζ-potential 10.21 mV medicated with 1.25 mg/mL 5-FU prepared by ionotropic cross-linking of Ch with hyaluronan were introduced into TSOH. The 5-FU binding by TSOH polymers in the sol state was maximum with plain Ch (31.4% and tended to decrease with increasing QA presence in polymer mixture. 5-FU release from TSOH with or without NPs was diffusion-controlled and linear in √t. The different TSOH polymers were compared on a diffusivity basis by comparing the slopes of √t plots. These showed a general decrease with NP-containing TSOH, which was the most marked with the TSOH, where Ch was 20% replaced by the derivative QA-Ch50. This formulation and that not containing NP were instilled in rabbits and the 5-FU transcorneal penetration was measured by analyzing the aqueous humor. Both TSOH solutions increased the area under the curve (0–8 hours 3.5 times compared with the plain eyedrops, but maximum concentration for the NP-free TSOH was about 0.65 µg/mL, followed by a slow decline, while the NP-containing one showed a

  4. Engineered 3D-scaffolds of photocrosslinked chitosan-gelatin hydrogel hybrids for chronic wound dressings and regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalho, Isadora C; Mansur, Herman S

    2017-09-01

    Wound repair is one of the most complex biological processes in human life. To date, no ideal biomaterial solution has been identified, which that encompasses all functions and properties of real skin tissue. Thus, this study focused on the synthesis of new biocompatible hybrid hydrogel scaffolds based on methacrylate-functionalized high molecular mass chitosan with gelatin-A photocrosslinked with UV radiation to tailor matrix network properties. These hybrid hydrogels were produced via freeze-drying and were extensively characterized by swelling and degradation measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS), and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). The results demonstrated that hydrogels were produced with broadly designed swelling degrees typically ranging from 500% to 2000%, which were significantly dependent on the relative concentration of polymers and irradiation time for crosslinking. Analogously, degradation was reduced with increased photocrosslinking of the network. Moreover, insights into the mechanism of photochemical crosslinking were suggested based on FTIR and UV-Vis analyses of the characteristic functional groups involved in the reactions. SEM analysis associated with micro-CT imaging of the hybrid scaffolds showed uniformly interconnected 3D porous structures, with architectural features affected by the crosslinking of the network. These hydrogels were biocompatible, with live cell viability responses of human embryonic kidney (HEK293T) cells being above 95%. Hence, novel hybrid hydrogels were designed and produced with tunable properties through photocrosslinking and with a biocompatible response suitable for use in wound dressing and skin tissue repair applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Development of biocompatible glycodynameric hydrogels joining two natural motifs by dynamic constitutional chemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marin, Luminita; Ailincai, Daniela; Morariu, Simona; Tartau-Mititelu, Liliana

    2017-08-15

    The paper focusses on the synthesis of novel hydrogels by joining natural biodegradable compounds with the aim to achieve biocompatible materials for bio related applications. The hydrogels were prepared from chitosan and citral by constitutional dynamic chemistry, incorporating both molecular and supramolecular dynamic features. The hydrophobic flexible citral has been reversible immobilized onto the hydrophilic chitosan backbone via imine bonds to form amphiphilic glycodynamers, which further self-ordered through supramolecular interactions into a 3D-network of biodynameric hydrogel. The synthetic pathway has been demonstrated by NMR and FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and polarized light microscopy. Studies of the hydrogel morphology revealed a 3D porous microstructure, whose pores size correlated with the crosslinking degree. Rheological investigations evidenced high elasticity, thermo-responsiveness and thixotropic behavior. As a proof of the concept, the hydrogels proved in vivo biocompatibility on laboratory mice. The paper successfully implements the constitutional dynamic chemistry in generation of chitosan high performance hydrogels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Injectable alginate-O-carboxymethyl chitosan/nano fibrin composite hydrogels for adipose tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaikumar, Dhanya; Sajesh, K M; Soumya, S; Nimal, T R; Chennazhi, K P; Nair, Shantikumar V; Jayakumar, R

    2015-03-01

    Injectable, biodegradable scaffolds are required for soft tissue reconstruction owing to its minimally invasive approach. Such a scaffold can mimic the native extracellular matrix (ECM), provide uniform distribution of cells and overcome limitations like donor site morbidity, volume loss, etc. So, here we report two classes of biocompatible and biodegradable hydrogel blend systems namely, Alginate/O-carboxymethyl chitosan (O-CMC) and Alginate/poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with the inclusion of fibrin nanoparticles in each. The hydrogels were prepared by ionic cross-linking method. The developed hydrogels were compared in terms of its swelling ratio, degradation profile, compressive strength and elastic moduli. From these preliminary findings, it was concluded that Alginate/O-CMC formed a better blend for tissue engineering applications. The potential of the formed hydrogel as an injectable scaffold was revealed by the survival of adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) on the scaffold by its adhesion, proliferation and differentiation into adipocytes. Cell differentiation studies of fibrin incorporated hydrogel scaffolds showed better differentiation was confirmed by Oil Red O staining technique. These injectable gels have potential in soft tissue regeneration. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Evaluation of Nystatin Containing Chitosan Hydrogels as Potential Dual Action Bio-Active Restorative Materials: in Vitro Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. Tamara Perchyonok

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Healing is a specific biological process related to the general phenomenon of growth and tissue regeneration and is a process generally affected by several systemic conditions or as detrimental side-effects of chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced inflammation of the oral mucosa. The objectives of this study is to evaluate the novel chitosan based functional drug delivery systems, which can be successfully incorporated into “dual action bioactive restorative materials”, capable of inducing in vitro improved wound healing prototype and containing an antibiotic, such as nystatin, krill oil as an antioxidant and hydroxyapatite as a molecular bone scaffold, which is naturally present in bone and is reported to be successfully used in promoting bone integration when implanted as well as promoting healing. The hydrogels were prepared using a protocol as previously reported by us. The physico-chemical features, including surface morphology (SEM, release behaviors, stability of the therapeutic agent-antioxidant-chitosan, were measured and compared to the earlier reported chitosan-antioxidant containing hydrogels. Structural investigations of the reactive surface of the hydrogel are reported. Release of nystatin was investigated for all newly prepared hydrogels. Bio-adhesive studies were performed in order to assess the suitability of these designer materials. Free radical defense capacity of the biomaterials was evaluated using established in vitro model. The bio-adhesive capacity of the materials in the in vitro system was tested and quantified. It was found that the favorable synergistic effect of free radical built-in defense mechanism of the new functional materials increased sustainable bio-adhesion and therefore acted as a functional multi-dimensional restorative material with potential application in wound healing in vitro.

  8. Fabrication and evaluation of thermosensitive chitosan/collagen/α, β-glycerophosphate hydrogels for tissue regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dang, Qifeng; Liu, Kai; Zhang, Zhenzhen; Liu, Chengsheng; Liu, Xi; Xin, Ying; Cheng, Xiaoyu; Xu, Tao; Cha, Dongsu; Fan, Bing

    2017-07-01

    Thermosensitive hydrogels whose physiological properties are similar to extracellular matrix have been extensively used for tissue regeneration. Polysaccharides and proteins, as biocompatible substrates similar to bio-macromolecules that could be recognized by human body, are two preferred polymers for fabrication of such hydrogels. A series of novel thermosensitive hydrogels (CS-ASC-HGs) containing chitosan (CS) and acid-soluble collagen (ASC) were thus prepared, in the presence of α, β-glycerophosphate, to mimic extracellular microenvironment for tissue regeneration. Rheological measurements demonstrated excellent thermosensitivity. FT-IR and SEM indicated CS-ASC-HGs possessed 3D porous architectures with fibrous ASC, and the molecular structure of ASC was well-maintained in hydrogels. Hemolysis, acute toxicity, and cytotoxicity tests suggested CS-ASC-HGs were of good biocompatibility. CS-ASC-HGs were able to support the survival and proliferation of L929 cells encapsulated in them. Moreover, CS-ASC-HGs had better pH stability and biocompatibility than pure CS hydrogel. These results suggested that CS-ASC-HGs could serve as promising scaffolds for tissue regeneration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Assessment of Photodynamic Inactivation against Periodontal Bacteria Mediated by a Chitosan Hydrogel in a 3D Gingival Model

    OpenAIRE

    Po-Chun Peng; Chien-Ming Hsieh; Chueh-Pin Chen; Tsuimin Tsai; Chin-Tin Chen

    2016-01-01

    Chitosan hydrogels containing hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and toluidine blue O were prepared and assessed for their mucoadhesive property and antimicrobial efficacy of photodynamic inactivation (PDI). Increased HPMC content in the hydrogels resulted in increased mucoadhesiveness. Furthermore, we developed a simple In Vitro 3D gingival model resembling the oral periodontal pocket to culture the biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A. ac...

  10. One-pot synthesis of a chitosan-based hydrogel as a potential device for magnetic biomaterial

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paulino, Alexandre T.; Guilherme, Marcos R.; Almeida, Elisangela A.M.S. de; Pereira, Antonio G.B.; Muniz, Edvani C.; Tambourgi, Elias B.

    2009-01-01

    This describes the cross-linking/co-polymerization reaction of chitosan (CS), acrylic acid (AAc), and N, N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) in the presence of citrate-covered-γ-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticules. A gelling process was verified by means of spectroscopic methods; Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and solid-state 13 C-CP/MAS nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The corresponding signals of the gelling process, in the 13 C NMR spectra, for the magnetic hydrogel were shifted to lower values due to embedding of the citrate-covered-γ-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticules. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed that the crystallinity of the magnetic hydrogel exhibited a different crystalline structure to that without magnetic properties. The Moessbauer and magnetization analysis revealed that the magnetic hydrogel displays a high lattice strain, due to bonded iron atom covalence and superparamagnetism. From scanning electronic microscope (SEM) micrographs, no separation phase coexists between the magnetic nanoparticules and cross-linked hydrogel, indicating an excellent dispersion throughout the hydrogel. The swelling rate was dependent on the cross-linking degree of the hydrogel and ionic strength of the aqueous solution.

  11. Water-soluble photopolymerizable chitosan hydrogels for biofabrication via two-photon polymerization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kufelt, Olga; El-Tamer, Ayman; Sehring, Camilla; Meißner, Marita; Schlie-Wolter, Sabrina; Chichkov, Boris N

    2015-05-01

    Fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) hydrogel microenvironments with predefined geometry and porosity can facilitate important requirements in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Chitosan (CH) is well known as a biocompatible hydrogel with prospective biological properties for biomedical aims. So far, microstructuring of this soft material presents a great limitation for its application as functional supporting material for guided tissue formation. Enabling photopolymerization, chemically modified CH can be applied for the biofabrication of reproducible 3D scaffolds using rapid prototyping techniques like two-photon polymerization (2PP) or others. The application of this technique allows precise serial fabrication of computer-designed microstructure geometries by scanning a femtosecond laser beam within a photosensitive material. This work explores a new synthesis of water-soluble photosensitive chitosan and the fabrication of well-defined microstructures from the generated materials. To modulate the mechanical and biochemical properties of the material, CH was combined and cross-linked with synthetic poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate. For a biological adaption to the in vivo situation, CH was covalently crosslinked with a photosensitive modified vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Performed in vitro studies reveal that modified CH is biocompatible. VEGF enhances CH bioactivity. Furthermore, a 3D CH scaffold can be successfully seeded with cells. Therefore, the established CH holds great promise for future applications in tissue engineering. Copyright © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Fluorescence Imaging in Genipin Crosslinked Chitosan–Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone Hydrogels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simon Matcham

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Recent research has identified genipin as a promising natural crosslinking agent for biocompatible hydrogels as genipin is significantly less cytotoxic than current synthetic crosslinking agents, such as glutaraldehyde. Conveniently, fluorophores can be produced when genipin crosslinks. In this study, fluorescence intensity measurements of genipin crosslinked chitosan-poly(vinyl pyrrolidone hydrogels have been explored as a dynamic, in situ method for tracing sol-gel transition. These pH-responsive smart materials have a future in medical applications, in particular in tissue engineering and drug delivery, where methods to follow the process in situ and in real-time are crucial for future advancement. Samples were prepared using deionised water, pH 4, and pH 10 solutions, and studied at 24 and 37 °C over a 24 h period. Both temperature and pH have been found to affect sol-gel transition in the hydrogels studied. The transition from acidic (pH 4 to basic (pH 10 solution resulted in reduced fluorescence intensity suggesting that, under more basic conditions, genipin molecules self-polymerise, reducing the number of molecules available for reaction with the amino groups of chitosan. Three-dimensional representations of the fluorescence present in a hydrogel sample have also been produced from the data, enabling the visualisation of variation in fluorescence with time at the surface of the hydrogel.

  13. Effects of pore forming agents on chitosan-graft-poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) hydrogel properties for use as a matrix for floating drug delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Budianto, E.; Al-Shidqi, M. F.; Cahyana, A. H.

    2017-07-01

    Eradicating H. pylori-based infection by using conventional oral dosage form of amoxicillin trihydrate finds difficulties to overcome rapid gastric retention time. Encapsulating amoxicillin trihydrate in floating drug delivery system may solve the problem. In this research, the floating drug delivery system of amoxicillin trihydrate encapsulated in floating chitosan-graft-poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) hydrogels containing CaCO3 and NaHCO3 as pore forming agents has been successfully prepared. Pore forming agents used was varied with the ratio of 10 to 25% pore forming agents to total mass of the used materials. The hydrogel were characterizedusing FTIR spectrophotometer and stereo microscope. As pore forming agents compositions increased, the porosity (%) and floating properties increased but followed by decrease in drug entrapment efficiency. Most of the floating hydrogels possessed floating ability longer than 180 min and the highest porosity was found in hydrogel containing 25% NaHCO3. Hydrogel containing CaCO3 showed sustained drug release profile than hydrogel containing NaHCO3. However, the optimum formulation was achieved at composition of 10% NaHCO3 with 57% of drug entrapped within the hydrogel and 43% drug released. The results of these studies show that NaHCO3 is an effective pore forming agents for chitosan-graft-poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) hydrogel preparation as compare to CaCO3.

  14. Development of visible-light responsive and mechanically enhanced "smart" UCST interpenetrating network hydrogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yifei; Ghag, Onkar; Reimann, Morgan; Sitterle, Philip; Chatterjee, Prithwish; Nofen, Elizabeth; Yu, Hongyu; Jiang, Hanqing; Dai, Lenore L

    2017-12-20

    An interpenetrating polymer network (IPN), chlorophyllin-incorporated environmentally responsive hydrogel was synthesized and exhibited the following features: enhanced mechanical properties, upper critical solution temperature (UCST) swelling behavior, and promising visible-light responsiveness. Poor mechanical properties are known challenges for hydrogel-based materials. By forming an interpenetrating network between polyacrylamide (PAAm) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAAc) polymer networks, the mechanical properties of the synthesized IPN hydrogels were significantly improved compared to hydrogels made of a single network of each polymer. The formation of the interpenetrating network was confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), the analysis of glass transition temperature, and a unique UCST responsive swelling behavior, which is in contrast to the more prevalent lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behaviour of environmentally responsive hydrogels. The visible-light responsiveness of the synthesized hydrogel also demonstrated a positive swelling behavior, and the effect of incorporating chlorophyllin as the chromophore unit was observed to reduce the average pore size and further enhance the mechanical properties of the hydrogel. This interpenetrating network system shows potential to serve as a new route in developing "smart" hydrogels using visible-light as a simple, inexpensive, and remotely controllable stimulus.

  15. Wood hemicellulose/chitosan-based semi-interpenetrating network hydrogels : mechanical swelling and controlled drug release properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmet M. Karaaslan; Mandla A. Tshabalala; Gisela Buschle-Diller

    2010-01-01

    The cell wall of most plant biomass from forest and agricultural resources consists of three major polymers, cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Of these, hemicelluloses have gained increasing attention as sustainable raw materials. In this study, novel pH-sensitive semi-IPN hydrogels based on hemicelluloses and chitosan were prepared using glutaraldehyde as the...

  16. Cell-specific and pH-sensitive nanostructure hydrogel based on chitosan as a photosensitizer carrier for selective photodynamic therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belali, Simin; Karimi, Ali Reza; Hadizadeh, Mahnaz

    2018-04-15

    The major problems of porphyrins as promising materials for photodynamic therapy (PDT) are their low solubility, subsequently aggregation in biological environments, and a lack of tumor selectivity. With this in mind, a chitosan-based hydrogel conjugated with tetrakis(4-aminophenyl)porphyrin (NH 2 -TPP) and 2,4,6-tris(p-formylphenoxy)-1,3,5-triazine (TRIPOD) via Schiff base linkage, functionalized with folate was designed and synthesized as a pH-sensitive, self-healable and injectable targeted PS delivery system. This new hydrogel was characterized by FT-IR, 1 H NMR, SEM, UV-vis, fluorescence spectroscopy and zeta potential. Formation of imine bonds with the aldehyde group of TRIPOD and amine group of NH 2 -TPP and chitosan, as a dynamic connection, was approved by rheological analysis. Spectroscopic characterizations revealed that aggregation of porphyrin in aqueous media was eliminated due to diminished π stacking interaction of porphyrin in 3D cross-linked hydrogel structure. Hydrogel 3D microporous structure efficiently transfers the excitation energy to the porphyrin unit, yielding improvement singlet oxygen releases. Cytotoxicity and phototoxicity analysis of the CS/NH 2 -TPP/FA hydrogels indicating an excellent capability to kill cancer cells selectively and prevent damage to normal cells. This work presents a new and efficient model for the preparation of highly efficient and targeting photosensitizer delivery system. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Peptide Drug Release Behavior from Biodegradable Temperature-Responsive Injectable Hydrogels Exhibiting Irreversible Gelation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazuyuki Takata

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available We investigated the release behavior of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1 from a biodegradable injectable polymer (IP hydrogel. This hydrogel shows temperature-responsive irreversible gelation due to the covalent bond formation through a thiol-ene reaction. In vitro sustained release of GLP-1 from an irreversible IP formulation (F(P1/D+PA40 was observed compared with a reversible (physical gelation IP formulation (F(P1. Moreover, pharmaceutically active levels of GLP-1 were maintained in blood after subcutaneous injection of the irreversible IP formulation into rats. This system should be useful for the minimally invasive sustained drug release of peptide drugs and other water-soluble bioactive reagents.

  18. Hydrothermally treated chitosan hydrogel loaded with copper and zinc particles as a potential micro-nutrient based antimicrobial feed additive

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parthiban eRajasekaran

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Large-scale use of antibiotics in food animal farms as growth promoters is considered as one of the driving factors behind increasing incidence of microbial resistance. Several alternatives are under investigation to reduce the amount of total antibiotics used in order to avoid any potential transmission of drug resistant microbes to humans through food chain. Copper sulfate and zinc oxide salts are used as feed supplement as they exhibit antimicrobial properties in addition to being micronutrients. However, higher dosage of copper and zinc (often needed for growth promoting effect to animals is not advisable because of potential environmental toxicity arising from excreta. Innovative strategies are needed to utilize the complete potential of trace minerals as growth promoting feed supplements. To this end, we describe here the development and preliminary characterization of hydrothermally treated chitosan as a delivery vehicle for copper and zinc nanoparticles that could act as a micronutrient based antimicrobial feed supplement. Material characterization studies showed that hydrothermal treatment makes a chitosan hydrogel that re-arranged to capture the copper and zinc metal particles. Systemic antimicrobial assays showed that this chitosan biopolymer matrix embedded with copper (57.6 μg/ml and zinc (800 μg/ml reduced the load of model gut-bacteria (target organisms of growth promoting antibiotics such as Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus and Lactobacillus fermentum under in vitro conditions. Particularly, the chitosan/copper/zinc hydrogel exhibited significantly higher antimicrobial effect against L. fermentum, one of the primary targets of antibiotic growth promoters. Additionally, the chitosan matrix ameliorated the cytotoxicity levels of metal supplements when screened against a murine macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 and in TE-71, a murine thymic epithelial cell line. In this proof of concept study, we show

  19. Evaluation of a collagen-chitosan hydrogel for potential use as a pro-angiogenic site for islet transplantation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joanne E McBane

    Full Text Available Islet transplantation to treat type 1 diabetes (T1D has shown varied long-term success, due in part to insufficient blood supply to maintain the islets. In the current study, collagen and collagen:chitosan (10:1 hydrogels, +/- circulating angiogenic cells (CACs, were compared for their ability to produce a pro-angiogenic environment in a streptozotocin-induced mouse model of T1D. Initial characterization showed that collagen-chitosan gels were mechanically stronger than the collagen gels (0.7 kPa vs. 0.4 kPa elastic modulus, respectively, had more cross-links (9.2 vs. 7.4/µm(2, and were degraded more slowly by collagenase. After gelation with CACs, live/dead staining showed greater CAC viability in the collagen-chitosan gels after 18 h compared to collagen (79% vs. 69%. In vivo, collagen-chitosan gels, subcutaneously implanted for up to 6 weeks in a T1D mouse, showed increased levels of pro-angiogenic cytokines over time. By 6 weeks, anti-islet cytokine levels were decreased in all matrix formulations ± CACs. The 6-week implants demonstrated increased expression of VCAM-1 in collagen-chitosan implants. Despite this, infiltrating vWF(+ and CXCR4(+ angiogenic cell numbers were not different between the implant types, which may be due to a delayed and reduced cytokine response in a T1D versus non-diabetic setting. The mechanical, degradation and cytokine data all suggest that the collagen-chitosan gel may be a suitable candidate for use as a pro-angiogenic ectopic islet transplant site.

  20. Biomolecule-Responsive Hydrogels in Medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharifzadeh, Ghorbanali; Hosseinkhani, Hossein

    2017-12-01

    Recent advances and applications of biomolecule-responsive hydrogels, namely, glucose-responsive hydrogels, protein-responsive hydrogels, and nucleic-acid-responsive hydrogels are highlighted. However, achieving the ultimate purpose of using biomolecule-responsive hydrogels in preclinical and clinical areas is still at the very early stage and calls for more novel designing concepts and advance ideas. On the way toward the real/clinical application of biomolecule-responsive hydrogels, plenty of factors should be extensively studied and examined under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. For example, biocompatibility, biointegration, and toxicity of biomolecule-responsive hydrogels should be carefully evaluated. From the living body's point of view, biocompatibility is seriously depended on the interactions at the tissue/polymer interface. These interactions are influenced by physical nature, chemical structure, surface properties, and degradation of the materials. In addition, the developments of advanced hydrogels with tunable biological and mechanical properties which cause no/low side effects are of great importance. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Self-assembled high-strength hydroxyapatite/graphene oxide/chitosan composite hydrogel for bone tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Peng; Bao, Rui-Ying; Shi, Xiao-Jun; Yang, Wei; Yang, Ming-Bo

    2017-01-02

    Graphene hydrogel has shown greatly potentials in bone tissue engineering recently, but it is relatively weak in the practical use. Here we report a facile method to synthesize high strength composite graphene hydrogel. Graphene oxide (GO), hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles (NPs) and chitosan (CS) self-assemble into a 3-dimensional hydrogel with the assistance of crosslinking agent genipin (GNP) for CS and reducing agent sodium ascorbate (NaVC) for GO simultaneously. The dense and oriented microstructure of the resulted composite gel endows it with high mechanical strength, high fixing capacity of HA and high porosity. These properties together with the good biocompatibility make the ternary composite gel a promising material for bone tissue engineering. Such a simultaneous crosslinking and reduction strategy can also be applied to produce a variety of 3D graphene-polymer based nanocomposites for biomaterials, energy storage materials and adsorbent materials. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Novel thermal-sensitive hydrogel enhances both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses by intranasal vaccine delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Youbin; Wu, Shipo; Hou, Lihua; Wei, Wei; Zhou, Meng; Su, Zhiguo; Wu, Jie; Chen, Wei; Ma, Guanghui

    2012-08-01

    A novel thermal sensitive hydrogel was formulated with N-[(2-hydroxy-3-trimethylammonium) propyl] chitosan chloride (HTCC) and α, β-glycerophosphate (α, β-GP). A serial of hydrogels containing different amount of GP and HTCC with diverse quarternize degree (QD, 41%, 59%, 79.5%, and 99%) were prepared and characterized by rheological method. The hydrogel was subsequently evaluated for intranasal vaccine delivery with adenovirus based Zaire Ebola virus glycoprotein antigen (Ad-GPZ). Results showed that moderate quarternized HTCC (60% and 79.5%) hydrogel/antigen formulations induced highest IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a antibody titers in serum, as well as mucosal IgA responses in lung wash, which may attributed to the prolonged antigen residence time due to the thermal-sensitivity of this hydrogel. Furthermore, CD8(+) splenocytes for IFN-γ positive cell assay and the release profile of Th1/Th2 type cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-10, and IL-4) showed that hydrogel/Ad-GPZ generated an overwhelmingly enhanced Th1 biased cellular immune response. In addition, this hydrogel displayed low toxicity to nasal tissue and epithelial cells even by frequently intranasal dosing of hydrogel. All these results strongly supported this hydrogel as a safe and effective delivery system for nasal immunization. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Synthesis and Characterization of Super absorbent Hydrogels Based on Natural Polymers Using Ionizing Radiations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deghiedy, N.M.A.

    2010-01-01

    Radiation processing technology is a useful tool for modification of polymer material including grafting of monomer onto polymer. In this study, novel super absorbent hydrogels was prepared with biodegradable and eco-friendly properties by graft copolymerization of chitosan and different synthetic monomers (AAc, DEAEMA, HEMA, HPMA and HEA) using gamma irradiation to examine the potential use of these hydrogels in the controlled drug release systems. The different chitosan hydrogels were characterized using FTIR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and thermal analysis techniques. The effects of the preparation conditions on the gelation process of the synthesized copolymer were investigated. The influence of variables such as feed concentration, irradiation dose, composition ratio, ph and temperature on the swelling of the prepared hydrogels was also examined. The water absorbency of these hydrogels in various ph and salt solutions was studied. The swelling kinetics of the prepared hydrogels and in vitro release dynamics of model drug (Chlortetracycline hydrochloride) from these hydrogels has been studied for the evaluation of swelling mechanism and drug release mechanism from the hydrogels. The adsorption and in vitro release profiles of Chlortetracycline HCl from the prepared gels were also estimated in different ph buffers. The amount of drug released from CS/ (AAc-DEAEMA) hydrogels was higher than that released from other modified CS/AAc hydrogels. This preliminary investigation of chitosan based hydrogels showed that they may be exploited to expand the utilization of these systems in drug delivery applications

  4. Thermo-responsive methylcellulose hydrogels as temporary substrate for cell sheet biofabrication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altomare, Lina; Cochis, Andrea; Carletta, Andrea; Rimondini, Lia; Farè, Silvia

    2016-05-01

    Methylcellulose (MC), a water-soluble polymer derived from cellulose, was investigated as a possible temporary substrate having thermo-responsive properties favorable for cell culturing. MC-based hydrogels were prepared by a dispersion technique, mixing MC powder (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 % w/v) with selected salts (sodium sulphate, Na2SO4), sodium phosphate, calcium chloride, or phosphate buffered saline, to evaluate the influence of different compositions on the thermo-responsive behavior. The inversion test was used to determine the gelation temperatures of the different hydrogel compositions; thermo-mechanical properties and thermo-reversibility of the MC hydrogels were investigated by rheological analysis. Gelation temperatures and rheological behavior depended on the MC concentration and type and concentration of salt used in hydrogel preparation. In vitro cytotoxicity tests, performed using L929 mouse fibroblasts, showed no toxic release from all the tested hydrogels. Among the investigated compositions, the hydrogel composed of 8 % w/v MC with 0.05 M Na2SO4 had a thermo-reversibility temperature at 37 °C. For that reason, this formulation was thus considered to verify the possibility of inducing in vitro spontaneous detachment of cells previously seeded on the hydrogel surface. A continuous cell layer (cell sheet) was allowed to grow and then detached from the hydrogel surface without the use of enzymes, thanks to the thermo-responsive behavior of the MC hydrogel. Immunofluorescence observation confirmed that the detached cell sheet was composed of closely interacting cells.

  5. Chitosan-based nanocarriers for antimalarials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dreve, Simina; Kacso, Iren; Popa, Adriana; Raita, Oana; Bende, A.; Borodi, Gh.; Bratu, I.

    2012-02-01

    The objective of this research was to synthesize and characterize chitosan-based liquid and solid materials with unique absorptive and mechanical properties as carriers for quinine - one of the most used antimalarial drug. The use of chitosan (CTS) as base in polyelectrolyte complex systems, to prepare solid release systems as sponges is presented. The preparation by double emulsification of CTS hydrogels carrying quinine as anti-malarial drug is reported. The concentration of quinine in the CTS hydrogel was 0.08 mmol. Chitosan - drug loaded hydrogel was used to generate solid sponges by freeze-drying at -610°C and 0.09 atm. Structural investigations of the solid formulations were done by Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS), spectrofluorimetry, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffractometry. The results indicated that the drug molecule is forming temporary chelates in CTS hydrogels and sponges. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) demonstrates the presence of free radicals in a wide range and the antioxidant activity for chitosan - drug supramolecular cross-linked assemblies.

  6. Facilitation of facial nerve regeneration using chitosan-β-glycerophosphate-nerve growth factor hydrogel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chao, Xiuhua; Xu, Lei; Li, Jianfeng; Han, Yuechen; Li, Xiaofei; Mao, YanYan; Shang, Haiqiong; Fan, Zhaomin; Wang, Haibo

    2016-06-01

    Conclusion C/GP hydrogel was demonstrated to be an ideal drug delivery vehicle and scaffold in the vein conduit. Combined use autologous vein and NGF continuously delivered by C/GP-NGF hydrogel can improve the recovery of facial nerve defects. Objective This study investigated the effects of chitosan-β-glycerophosphate-nerve growth factor (C/GP-NGF) hydrogel combined with autologous vein conduit on the recovery of damaged facial nerve in a rat model. Methods A 5 mm gap in the buccal branch of a rat facial nerve was reconstructed with an autologous vein. Next, C/GP-NGF hydrogel was injected into the vein conduit. In negative control groups, NGF solution or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) was injected into the vein conduits, respectively. Autologous implantation was used as a positive control group. Vibrissae movement, electrophysiological assessment, and morphological analysis of regenerated nerves were performed to assess nerve regeneration. Results NGF continuously released from C/GP-NGF hydrogel in vitro. The recovery rate of vibrissae movement and the compound muscle action potentials of regenerated facial nerve in the C/GP-NGF group were similar to those in the Auto group, and significantly better than those in the NGF group. Furthermore, larger regenerated axons and thicker myelin sheaths were obtained in the C/GP-NGF group than those in the NGF group.

  7. Photocrosslinkable chitosan as a biological adhesive.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ono, K; Saito, Y; Yura, H; Ishikawa, K; Kurita, A; Akaike, T; Ishihara, M

    2000-02-01

    A photocrosslinkable chitosan to which both azide and lactose moieties were introduced (Az-CH-LA) was prepared as a biological adhesive for soft tissues and its effectiveness was compared with that of fibrin glue. Introduction of the lactose moieties resulted in a much more water-soluble chitosan at neutral pH. Application of ultraviolet light (UV) irradiation to photocrosslinkable Az-CH-LA produced an insoluble hydrogel within 60 s. This hydrogel firmly adhered two pieces of sliced ham with each other, depending upon the Az-CH-LA concentration. The binding strength of the chitosan hydrogel prepared from 30-50 mg/mL of Az-CH-LA was similar to that of fibrin glue. Compared to the fibrin glue, the chitosan hydrogel more effectively sealed air leakage from pinholes on isolated small intestine and aorta and from incisions on isolated trachea. Neither Az-CH-LA nor its hydrogel showed any cytotoxicity in cell culture tests of human skin fibroblasts, coronary endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells. Furthermore, all mice studied survived for at least 1 month after implantation of 200 microL of photocrosslinked chitosan gel and intraperitoneal administration of up to 1 mL of 30 mg/mL of Az-CH-LA solution. These results suggest that the photocrosslinkable chitosan developed here has the potential of serving as a new tissue adhesive in medical use. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  8. pH and Glucose Dual-Responsive Injectable Hydrogels with Insulin and Fibroblasts as Bioactive Dressings for Diabetic Wound Healing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Lingling; Niu, Lijing; Liang, Hongze; Tan, Hui; Liu, Chaozong; Zhu, Feiyan

    2017-11-01

    pH and glucose dual-responsive injectable hydrogels were prepared through the cross-linking of Schiff's base and phenylboronate ester using phenylboronic-modified chitosan, poly(vinyl alcohol) and benzaldehyde-capped poly(ethylene glycol). Protein drugs and live cells could be incorporated into the hydrogels during the in situ cross-linking, displaying sustained and pH/glucose-triggered drug release from the hydrogels and cell viability and proliferation in the three-dimensional hydrogel matrix as well. Hence, the hydrogels with insulin and fibroblasts were considered as bioactive dressings for diabetic wound healing. A streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model was used to evaluate the efficacy of hydrogel dressings in wound repair. The results revealed that the incorporation of insulin and L929 in the hydrogels could promote neovascularization and collagen deposition and enhance the wound-healing process of diabetic wounds. Thus, the drug- and cell-loaded hydrogels have promising potential in wound healing as a medicated system for various therapeutic proteins and live cells.

  9. Bio-inspired layered chitosan/graphene oxide nanocomposite hydrogels with high strength and pH-driven shape memory effect.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yaqian; Zhang, Min; Jiang, Haoyang; Shi, Jinli; Li, Feibo; Xia, Yanhong; Zhang, Gongzheng; Li, Huanjun

    2017-12-01

    The layered nanocomposite hydrogel films containing chitosan (CS) and graphene oxide (GO) have been prepared by water evaporation induced self-assembly and subsequent physical cross-linking in alkaline solution. The layered CS/GO hydrogel films obtained have a nacre-like brick-and-mortar microstructure, which contributes to their excellent mechanical properties. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the hydrogel films with 5wt% GO are 5.35MPa and 193.5%, respectively, which are comparable to natural costal cartilage. Furthermore, the CS/GO hydrogel films exhibited pH-driven shape memory effect, and this unique phenomenon is mainly attributed to the reversible transition of partial physically cross-linking corresponding to hydrogen bondings and hydrophobic interactions between CS polymer chains due to pH changing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. The alginate layer for improving doxorubicin release and radiolabeling stability of chitosan hydrogels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kwon, Jeong Il; Lee, Chang Moon; Jeong, Hwan Seok; Hwang, Hyo Sook; Lim, Seok Tae; Sohn, Myung Hee; Jeong, Hwan Jeong [Dept. of Nuclear Medicine and Therapeutic Medicine Research Center, Cyclotron Research Center, Institute for Medical Science, Biomedical Research Institute, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Chang Moon [Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Chonnam National University, Yeosu (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-12-15

    Chitosan hydrogels (CSH) formed through ionic interaction with an anionic molecule are suitable as a drug carrier and a tissue engineering scaffold. However, the initial burst release of drugs from the CSH due to rapid swelling after immersing in a biofluid limits their wide application as a drug delivery carrier. In this study, alginate layering on the surface of the doxorubicin (Dox)-loaded and I-131-labeled CSH (DI-CSH) was performed. The effect of the alginate layering on drug release behavior and radiolabeling stability was investigated. Chitosan was chemically modified using a chelator for I-131 labeling. After labeling of I-131 and mixing of Dox, the chitosan solution was dropped into tripolyphosphate (TPP) solution using an electrospinning system to prepare spherical microhydrogels. The DI-CSH were immersed into alginate solution for 30 min to form the crosslinking layer on their surface. The formation of alginate layer on the DI-CSH was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and zeta potential analysis. In order to investigate the effect of alginate layer, studies of in vitro Dox release from the hydrogels were performed in phosphate buffered in saline (PBS, pH 7.4) at 37 °C for 12 days. The radiolabeling stability of the hydrogels was evaluated using ITLC under different experimental condition (human serum, normal saline, and PBS) at 37 °C for 12 days. Formatting the alginate-crosslinked layer on the CSH surface did not change the spherical morphology and the mean diameter (150 ± 10 μm). FT-IR spectra and zeta potential values indicate that alginate layer was formed successfully on the surface of the DI-CSH. In in vitro Dox release studies, the total percentage of the released Dox from the DI-CSH for 12 days were 60.9 ± 0.8, 67.3 ± 1.4, and 71.8 ± 2.5 % for 0.25, 0.50, and 1.00 mg Dox used to load into the hydrogels, respectively. On the other hand, after formatting alginate layer, the percentage of the

  11. Swelling and thermodynamic studies of temperature responsive 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate/itaconic acid copolymeric hydrogels prepared via gamma radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tomic, Simonida L.J.; Micic, Maja M.; Filipovic, Jovanka M.; Suljovrujic, Edin H.

    2007-01-01

    The copolymeric hydrogels based on 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and itaconic acid (IA) were synthesized by gamma radiation induced radical polymerization. Swelling and thermodynamic properties of PHEMA and copolymeric P(HEMA/IA) hydrogels with different IA contents (2, 3.5 and 5 mol%) were studied in a wide pH and temperature range. Initial studies of so-prepared hydrogels show interesting pH and temperature sensitivity in swelling and drug release behavior. Special attention was devoted to temperature investigations around physiological temperature (37 deg. C), where small changes in temperature significantly influence swelling and drug release of these hydrogels. Due to maximum swelling of hydrogels around 40 deg. C, the P(HEMA/IA) hydrogel containing 5 mol% of IA without and with drug-antibiotic (gentamicin) were investigated at pH 7.40 and in the temperature range 25-42 deg. C, in order to evaluate their potential for medical applications

  12. Characterization of temperature and pH-responsive poly-N-isopropylacrylamide-co-polymer nanoparticles for the release of antimicrobials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hill, Laura E; Gomes, Carmen L

    2014-01-01

    Chitosan and alginate are both pH-responsive biopolymers extracted from crustacean exoskeletons and brown algae, respectively. Poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAAM) is a hydrogel that becomes hydrophobic at a lower-critical solution temperature. This study sought to combine pH- and temperature-responsive polymers via crosslinking, in order to create a dual-stimuli responsive polymer for hydrophobic antimicrobial compounds delivery, improving their antimicrobial effects. Cinnamon bark extract (CBE) was used as a model for hydrophobic antimicrobial. Two co-polymers were synthesized to create two nanoparticles types: chitosan-co-PNIPAAM and alginate-co-PNIPAAM. Nanoparticles were formed from the resulting co-polymers using a self-assembly top-down process followed by glutaraldehyde or calcium chloride crosslinking. These nanoparticles were then used as controlled delivery vehicles for CBE, whose rapid release could be triggered by specific external stimuli. For the same pH and temperature conditions, the chitosan-co-PNIPAAM nanoparticles were significantly more potent bacterial inhibitors against both pathogens and also exhibited a faster CBE release over time as well as slightly higher entrapment efficiency. The alginate-co-PNIPAAM nanoparticles were significantly smaller and exhibited a slow, gradual release over a long time period. Although both nanoparticles were able to effectively inhibit pathogen growth at lower (P < 0.05) concentration than free CBE, the chitosan-co-PNIPAAM nanoparticles were more effective in delivering a natural antimicrobial with controlled release against foodborne pathogens. (paper)

  13. Glyoxal Crosslinking of Cell-Seeded Chitosan/Collagen Hydrogels for Bone Regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Limin; Stegemann, Jan P.

    2011-01-01

    Chitosan and collagen are natural biomaterials that have been used extensively in tissue engineering, both separately and as composite materials. Most methods to fabricate chitosan/collagen composites use freeze drying and chemical crosslinking to create stable porous scaffolds, which subsequently can be seeded with cells. In this study, we directly embedded human bone marrow stem cells (hBMSC) in chitosan/collagen materials by initiating gelation using β-glycerophosphate at physiological temperature and pH. We further examined the use of glyoxal, a dialdehyde with relatively low toxicity, to crosslink these materials and characterized the resulting changes in matrix and cell properties. The cytocompatibility of glyoxal and the crosslinked gels were investigated in terms of hBMSC metabolic activity, viability, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation. These studies revealed that glyoxal was cytocompatible at concentrations below about 1 mM for periods of exposure up to 15 h, though the degree of cell spreading and proliferation were dependent on matrix composition. Glyoxal-crosslinked matrices were stiffer and compacted less than uncrosslinked controls. It was further demonstrated that hBMSC can attach and proliferate in 3D matrices composed of 50/50 chitosan/collagen, and that these materials supported osteogenic differentiation in response to stimulation. Such glyoxal-crosslinked chitosan/collagen composite materials may find utility as cell delivery vehicles for enhancing the repair of bone defects. PMID:21345389

  14. Electromechanical response of silk fibroin hydrogel and conductive polycarbazole/silk fibroin hydrogel composites as actuator material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srisawasdi, Thanida; Petcharoen, Karat; Sirivat, Anuvat; Jamieson, Alexander M

    2015-11-01

    Pure silk fibroin (SF) hydrogel and polycarbazole/silk fibroin (SF/PCZ) hydrogels were fabricated by solvent casting technique to evaluate electromechanical responses, dielectric properties, and cantilever deflection properties as functions of electric field strength, SF concentration, glutaraldehyde concentration, and PCZ concentration in the blends. Electromechanical properties were characterized in oscillatory shear mode at electric field strengths ranging from 0 to 600V/mm and at a temperature of 27°C. For both the pristine SF and SF/PCZ hydrogels, the storage modulus response (ΔG') and the storage modulus sensitivity (ΔG'/G'0) increased dramatically with increasing electric field strength. The pristine hydrogel possessed the highest storage modulus sensitivity value of 5.87, a relatively high value when compared with other previously studied electroactive polymers. With the addition of conductive PCZ in SF hydrogel, the storage modulus sensitivity and the relative dielectric constant decreased; the conductive polymer thus provided the softening effect under electric field. In the deflection response, the dielectrophoresis force and deflection distance increased monotonically with electric field strength, where the pure SF hydrogel showed the highest deflection distance and dielectrophoresis force. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Drug delivery systems based on biocompatible imino-chitosan hydrogels for local anticancer therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ailincai, Daniela; Tartau Mititelu, Liliana; Marin, Luminita

    2018-11-01

    A series of drug delivery systems were prepared by chitosan hydrogelation with citral in the presence of an antineoplastic drug: 5-fluorouracil. The dynamic covalent chemistry of the imine linkage allowed the obtaining of supramolecular tridimensional architectures in which the drug has been homogenously dispersed. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WXRD) and polarized light microscopy (POM) measurements were used in order to follow the hydrogelation and drug encapsulation processes. The ability of the prepared systems to release the drug has been investigated by UV-Vis spectroscopy using a calibration curve and by fitting the results with different mathematic models. To mimic the behavior of the hydrogel matrix in bio-environmental conditions in view of applications, their enzymatic degradability was monitored in the presence of lysozyme. The in vivo side effects of the systems, in terms of their influence on the blood elements, biochemical and immune parameters were monitored on white Swiss mice by intraperitoneal administration of the injectable obtained hydrogels. All the characteristics of the obtained systems, such as micro-porous morphology, uniform drug encapsulation, enzymatic degradability, lack of side effects, other than the one of the drug itself, along with their ability to release the drug in a sustained manner proved that these material meet the requirements for the development of drug delivery systems, making them suitable for being applied in intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

  16. Data on the experiments of temperature-sensitive hydrogels for pH-sensitive drug release and the characterizations of materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Zhang

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available This article contains experimental data on the strain sweep, the calibration curve of drug (doxorubicin, DOX and the characterizations of materials. Data included are related to the research article “Injectable and body temperature sensitive hydrogels based on chitosan and hyaluronic acid for pH sensitive drug release” (Zhang et al., 2017 [1]. The strain sweep experiments were performed on a rotational rheometer. The calibration curves were obtained by analyzing the absorbance of DOX solutions on a UV–vis-NIR spectrometer. Molecular weight (Mw of the hyaluronic acid (HA and chitosan (CS were determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC. The deacetylation degree of CS was measured by acid base titration.

  17. Polypyrrol/chitosan hydrogel hybrid microfiber as sensing artificial muscle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ismail, Yahya A.; Martínez, Jose G.; Al Harrasi, Ahmad S.; Kim, Seon J.; Fernández Otero, Toribio F.

    2011-04-01

    An electrochemical actuator demands that it should act as a sensor of the working conditions for its efficient application in devices. Actuation and sensing characteristics of a biopolymer/conducting polymer hybrid microfiber artificial muscle fabricated through wet spinning of a chitosan solution followed by in situ chemical polymerization with pyrrol employing bis(triflouro methane sulfonyl) imide as dopant and ferric chloride as a catalyst is presented. The polypyrrol/chitosan hybrid microfiber was investigated by FTIR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electrical conductivity measurement, cyclic voltammetric and chronopotentiometric methods. The electrochemical measurements related to the sensing abilities were performed as a function of applied current, concentration and temperature keeping two of the variables constant at a given time using NaCl as electrolyte. Cyclic voltammograms confirmed that the electro activity is imparted by polypyrrol (pPy). The fiber showed an electrical conductivity of 3.21x10-1 Scm-1and an average linear electrochemical actuation strain of 0.54%. The chronopotentiometric responses during the oxidation/reduction processes of the microfiber for the different anodic/cathodic currents and the linear fit observed for the consumed electrical energy during the reaction for various applied currents suggested that it can act as a sensor of applied current. The chronopotentiometric responses and the linear fit of consumed electrical energy at different temperatures suggested that the actuator can act as a temperature sensor. Similarly a semi logarithmic dependence of the consumed electrical energy with concentration of the electrolyte during reaction is suggestive of its applicability as a concentration sensor. The demand that an electrochemical actuator to be a sensor of the working conditions, for its efficient application in devices is thus verified in this material.

  18. Thermo-responsive in-situ forming hydrogels as barriers to prevent post-operative peritendinous adhesion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chou, Pang-Yun; Chen, Shih-Heng; Chen, Chih-Hao; Chen, Shih-Hsien; Fong, Yi Teng; Chen, Jyh-Ping

    2017-11-01

    In this study, we aimed to assess whether thermo-responsive in-situ forming hydrogels based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) could prevent post-operative peritendinous adhesion. The clinical advantages of the thermo-responsive hydrogels are acting as barrier material to block penetration of fibroblasts, providing mobility and flexibility during application and enabling injection through a small opening to fill spaces of any shape after surgery. The thermo-responsiveness of hydrogels was determined to ensure their clinic uses. By grafting hydrophilic biopolymers chitosan (CS) and hyaluronic acid (HA) to PNIPAM, the copolymer hydrogels show enhanced water retention and lubrication, while reduced volume shrinkage during phase transition. In cell culture experiments, the thermo-responsive hydrogel has good biocompatibility and reduces fibroblast penetration. In animal experiments, the effectiveness of preventing post-operative peritendinous adhesion was studied in a rabbit deep flexor tendon model. From gross examination, histology, bending angles of joints, tendon gliding excursion and pull-out force, HA-CS-PNIPAM (HACPN) was confirmed to be the best barrier material to prevent post-operative peritendinous adhesion compared to PNIPAM and CS-PNIPAM (CPN) hydrogels and a commercial barrier film Seprafilm®. There was no significant difference in the breaking strength of HACPN-treated tendons and spontaneously healed ones, indicating HACPN hydrogel application did not interfere with normal tendon healing. We conclude that HACPN hydrogel can provide the best functional outcomes to significantly prevent post-operative tendon adhesion in vivo. We prepared thermo-responsive in-situ forming hydrogels based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) to prevent post-operative peritendinous adhesion. The injectable barrier hydrogel could have better anti-adhesive properties than current commercial products by acting as barrier material to block penetration of fibroblasts

  19. A comparative study of graphene-hydrogel hybrid bionanocomposites for biosensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burrs, S L; Vanegas, D C; Rong, Y; Bhargava, M; Mechulan, N; Hendershot, P; Yamaguchi, H; Gomes, C; McLamore, E S

    2015-03-07

    Hydrogels have become increasingly popular as immobilization materials for cells, enzymes and proteins for biosensing applications. Enzymatic biosensors that utilize hydrogel as an encapsulant have shown improvements over other immobilization techniques such as cross linking and covalent bonding. However, to date there are no studies which directly compare multiple hydrogel-graphene nanocomposites using the same enzyme and test conditions. This study compares the performance of four different hydrogels used as protein encapsulants in a mediator-free biosensor based on graphene-nanometal-enzyme composites. Alcohol oxidase (AOx) was encapsulated in chitosan poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAAM), silk fibroin or cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) hydrogels, and then spin coated onto a nanoplatinum-graphene modified electrode. The transduction mechanism for the biosensor was based on AOx-catalyzed oxidation of methanol to produce hydrogen peroxide. To isolate the effect(s) of stimulus response on biosensor behavior, all experiments were conducted at 25 °C and pH 7.10. Electroactive surface area (ESA), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), sensitivity to methanol, response time, limit of detection, and shelf life were measured for each bionanocomposite. Chitosan and PNIPAAM had the highest sensitivity (0.46 ± 0.2 and 0.3 ± 0.1 μA mM(-1), respectively) and electroactive surface area (0.2 ± 0.06 and 0.2 ± 0.02 cm(2), respectively), as well as the fastest response time (4.3 ± 0.8 and 4.8 ± 1.1 s, respectively). Silk and CNC demonstrated lower sensitivity (0.09 ± 0.02 and 0.15 ± 0.03 μA mM(-1), respectively), lower electroactive surface area (0.12 ± 0.02 and 0.09 ± 0.03 cm(2), respectively), and longer response time (8.9 ± 2.1 and 6.3 ± 0.8 s, respectively). The high porosity of chitosan, PNIPAAM, and silk gels led to excellent transport, which was significantly better than CNC bionanocomposites. Electrochemical performance of CNC bionanocomposites were

  20. Study on temperature and near-infrared driving characteristics of hydrogel actuator fabricated via molding and 3D printing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Qian; Liang, Yunhong; Ren, Lei; Qiu, Feng; Zhang, Zhihui; Ren, Luquan

    2018-02-01

    A hydrogel material system which was fit for molding and 3D printing was developed to fabricate bilayer hydrogel actuators with controllable temperature and near infrared laser responses. Polymerization on interface boundary of layered structure enhanced the bonding strength of hydrogel actuators. By utilizing anisotropic of microstructure along with thickness direction, bilayer hydrogel actuators fabricated via molding realized intelligent bending/shrinking responses, which guided the preparation of hydrogel ink for 3D printing. In-situ free radical polymerization under vacuum realized the solidification of printed hydrogel actuators with graphene oxide. Based on anisotropic swelling/deswelling behaviors of precise structure fabricated via 3D printing, the printed bilayer hydrogel actuators achieved temperature and near infrared laser responsive deformation. Changes of programmable printing path effectively resulted in corresponding deformation patterns. Combination of advantages of molding and 3D printing can promote the design and fabrication of hydrogel actuators with high mechanical strength, response speed and deformation ability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Dynamic and biocompatible thermo-responsive magnetic hydrogels that respond to an alternating magnetic field

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Crippa, Federica; Moore, Thomas L.; Mortato, Mariangela; Geers, Christoph; Haeni, Laetitia [Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, CH-1700 Fribourg (Switzerland); Hirt, Ann M. [Institute for Geophysics, ETH Zurich, Sonneggstrasse 5, CH-8092 Zurich (Switzerland); Rothen-Rutishauser, Barbara [Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, CH-1700 Fribourg (Switzerland); Petri-Fink, Alke, E-mail: alke.fink@unifr.ch [Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, CH-1700 Fribourg (Switzerland); Chemistry Department, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 9, CH-1700 Fribourg Switzerland (Switzerland)

    2017-04-01

    Magnetic thermo-responsive hydrogels are a new class of materials that have recently attracted interest in biomedicine due to their ability to change phase upon magnetic stimulation. They have been used for drug release, magnetic hyperthermia treatment, and can potentially be engineered as stimuli-responsive substrates for cell mechanobiology. In this regard, we propose a series of magnetic thermo-responsive nanocomposite substrates that undergo cyclical swelling and de-swelling phases when actuated by an alternating magnetic field in aqueous environment. The synthetized substrates are obtained with a facile and reproducible method from poly-N-isopropylacrylamide and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. Their conformation and the temperature-related, magnetic, and biological behaviors were characterized via scanning electron microscopy, swelling ratio analysis, vibrating sample magnetometry, alternating magnetic field stimulation and indirect viability assays. The nanocomposites showed no cytotoxicity with fibroblast cells, and exhibited swelling/de-swelling behavior near physiological temperatures (around 34 °C). Therefore these magnetic thermo-responsive hydrogels are promising materials as stimuli-responsive substrates allowing the study of cell-behavior by changing the hydrogel properties in situ. - Highlights: • A magnetic thermo-responsive hydrogel for mechanobiology is proposed. • Hydrogels change phase upon magnetic stimulation near physiological temperature. • Phase changes are reversible and triggered in an aqueous environment. • The hydrogels are biocompatible for murine fibroblast cells.

  2. Development of Bioadhesive Chitosan Superporous Hydrogel Composite Particles Based Intestinal Drug Delivery System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hitesh Chavda

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Bioadhesive superporous hydrogel composite (SPHC particles were developed for an intestinal delivery of metoprolol succinate and characterized for density, porosity, swelling, morphology, and bioadhesion studies. Chitosan and HPMC were used as bioadhesive and release retardant polymers, respectively. A 32 full factorial design was applied to optimize the concentration of chitosan and HPMC. The drug loaded bioadhesive SPHC particles were filled in capsule, and the capsule was coated with cellulose acetate phthalate and evaluated for drug content, in vitro drug release, and stability studies. To ascertain the drug release kinetics, the drug release profiles were fitted for mathematical models. The prepared system remains bioadhesive up to eight hours in intestine and showed Hixson-Crowell release with anomalous nonfickian type of drug transport. The application of SPHC polymer particles as a biomaterial carrier opens a new insight into bioadhesive drug delivery system and could be a future platform for other molecules for intestinal delivery.

  3. WOOD HEMICELLULOSE/CHITOSAN-BASED SEMI-INTERPENETRATING NETWORK HYDROGELS: MECHANICAL, SWELLING AND CONTROLLED DRUG RELEASE PROPERTIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muzaffer Ahmet Karaaslan

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available The cell wall of most plant biomass from forest and agricultural resources consists of three major polymers, cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Of these, hemicelluloses have gained increasing attention as sustainable raw materials. In this study, novel pH-sensitive semi-IPN hydrogels based on hemicelluloses and chitosan were prepared using glutaraldehyde as the crosslinking agent. The hemicellulose isolated from aspen was analyzed for sugar content by HPLC, and its molecular weight distribution was determined by high performance size exclusion chromatography. Results revealed that hemicellulose had a broad molecular weight distribution with a fair amount of polymeric units, together with xylose, arabinose, and glucose. The effects of hemicellulose content on mechanical properties and swelling behavior of hydrogels were investigated. The semi-IPNs hydrogel structure was confirmed by FT-IR, X-ray study, and the ninhydrin assay method. X-ray analysis showed that higher hemicellulose contents yielded higher crystallinity. Mechanical properties were mainly dependent on the crosslink density and average molecular weight between crosslinks. Swelling ratios increased with increasing hemicellulose content and were high at low pH values due to repulsion between similarly charged groups. In vitro release study of a model drug showed that these semi-IPN hydrogels could be used for controlled drug delivery into gastric fluid.

  4. Reversible pH-Sensitive Chitosan-Based Hydrogels. Influence of Dispersion Composition on Rheological Properties and Sustained Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nieves Iglesias

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The present work deals with the synthesis of micro-structured biomaterials based on chitosan (CTS for their applications as biocompatible carriers of drugs and bioactive compounds. Twelve dispersions were prepared by means of functional cross-linking with tricarballylic acid (TCA; they were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, modulated temperature differential scanning calorimetry (MTDSC and scanning electron microscopy (SEM, and their rheological properties were studied. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no study has been carried out on the influence of CTS concentration, degree of cross-linking and drug loading on chitosan hydrogels for drug delivery systems (DDS and is investigated herein for the first time. The influence of dispersion composition (polymer concentration and degree of cross-linking revealed to exert a marked impact on its rheological properties, going from liquid-like to viscoelastic gels. The release profiles of a model drug, diclofenac sodium (DCNa, as well as their relationships with polymer concentration, drug loading and degree of cross-linking were evaluated. Similar to the findings on rheological properties, a wide range of release profiles was encountered. These formulations were found to display a well-controlled drug release strongly dependent on the formulation composition. Cumulative drug release under physiological conditions for 96 h ranged from 8% to 67%. For comparative purpose, Voltaren emulgel® from Novartis Pharmaceuticals was also investigated and the latter was the formulation with the highest cumulative drug release (85%. Some formulations showed similar spreadability values to the commercial hydrogel. The comparative study of three batches confirmed the reproducibility of the method, leading to systems particularly suitable for their use as drug carriers.

  5. Drug delivery glucantime in PVP/chitosan membranes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oliveira, Maria J.A.; Lugao, Ademar B.; Parra, Duclerc F., E-mail: mariajhho@yahoo.com.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Amato, Valdir S. [Universidade de Sao Paulo (DMIP/FM/USP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Medicina. Departamento de Molestias Infecciosas e Parasitarias

    2015-07-01

    The current study of polymer science considers the area of biomedical application very important to establish developments in new polymeric materials. Examples of that are hydrogels for controlled release of drugs. In this work, hydrogels of poly (N-2-vinil-pyrrolidone) (PVP) containing chitosan and clay nanoparticles were obtained and characterized to investigate chitosan influence on Glucantime drug delivery. The matrixes were crosslinked by gamma irradiation process with doses of 25 kGy. Hydrogels morphologies were observed by X Ray diffraction (DRX). Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and swelling kinetic at 22 °C to study the capacity of water retention and, finally, drug delivery tests were performed 'in vitro'. The system showed higher gel fraction for the matrix with 1.0% of clay and 0.5% of chitosan. In this case, besides the interactions of clay ions with PVP, there are interactions of chitosan amine group with PVP amide group. (author)

  6. Drug delivery glucantime in PVP/chitosan membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oliveira, Maria J.A.; Lugao, Ademar B.; Parra, Duclerc F.; Amato, Valdir S.

    2015-01-01

    The current study of polymer science considers the area of biomedical application very important to establish developments in new polymeric materials. Examples of that are hydrogels for controlled release of drugs. In this work, hydrogels of poly (N-2-vinil-pyrrolidone) (PVP) containing chitosan and clay nanoparticles were obtained and characterized to investigate chitosan influence on Glucantime drug delivery. The matrixes were crosslinked by gamma irradiation process with doses of 25 kGy. Hydrogels morphologies were observed by X Ray diffraction (DRX). Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and swelling kinetic at 22 °C to study the capacity of water retention and, finally, drug delivery tests were performed 'in vitro'. The system showed higher gel fraction for the matrix with 1.0% of clay and 0.5% of chitosan. In this case, besides the interactions of clay ions with PVP, there are interactions of chitosan amine group with PVP amide group. (author)

  7. Degradation of chitosan-based materials after different sterilization treatments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    San Juan, A; Montembault, A; Royaud, I; David, L; Gillet, D; Say, J P; Rouif, S; Bouet, T

    2012-01-01

    Biopolymers have received in recent years an increasing interest for their potential applications in the field of biomedical engineering. Among the natural polymers that have been experimented, chitosan is probably the most promising in view of its exceptional biological properties. Several techniques may be employed to sterilize chitosan-based materials. The aim of our study was to compare the effect of common sterilization treatments on the degradation of chitosan-based materials in various physical states: solutions, hydrogels and solid flakes. Four sterilization methods were compared: gamma irradiation, beta irradiation, exposure to ethylene oxide and saturated water steam sterilization (autoclaving). Exposure to gamma or beta irradiation was shown to induce an important degradation of chitosan, regardless of its physical state. The chemical structure of chitosan flakes was preserved after ethylene oxide sterilization, but this technique has a limited use for materials in the dry state. Saturated water steam sterilization of chitosan solutions led to an important depolymerization. Nevertheless, steam sterilization of chitosan flakes bagged or dispersed in water was found to preserve better the molecular weight of the polymer. Hence, the sterilization of chitosan flakes dispersed in water would represent an alternative step for the preparation of sterilized chitosan solutions. Alternatively, autoclaving chitosan physical hydrogels did not significantly modify the macromolecular structure of the polymer. Thus, this method is one of the most convenient procedures for the sterilization of physical chitosan hydrogels after their preparation.

  8. Peritoneal adhesion prevention with a biodegradable and injectable N,O-carboxymethyl chitosan-aldehyde hyaluronic acid hydrogel in a rat repeated-injury model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Linjiang; Li, Ling; He, Tao; Wang, Ning; Yang, Suleixin; Yang, Xi; Zeng, Yan; Zhang, Wenli; Yang, Li; Wu, Qinjie; Gong, Changyang

    2016-11-01

    Postoperative peritoneal adhesion is one of the serious issues because it induces severe clinical disorders. In this study, we prepared biodegradable and injectable hydrogel composed of N,O-carboxymethyl chitosan (NOCC) and aldehyde hyaluronic acid (AHA), and assessed its anti-adhesion effect in a rigorous and severe recurrent adhesion model which is closer to clinical conditions. The flexible hydrogel, which gelated in 66 seconds at 37 °C, was cross-linked by the schiff base derived from the amino groups of NOCC and aldehyde groups in AHA. In vitro cytotoxicity test showed the hydrogel was non-toxic. In vitro and in vivo degradation examinations demonstrated the biodegradable and biocompatibility properties of the hydrogel. The hydrogel discs could prevent the invasion of fibroblasts, whereas fibroblasts encapsulated in the porous 3-dimensional hydrogels could grow and proliferate well. Furthermore, the hydrogel was applied to evaluate the anti-adhesion efficacy in a more rigorous recurrent adhesion model. Compared with normal saline group and commercial hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel, the NOCC-AHA hydrogel exhibited significant reduction of peritoneal adhesion. Compared to control group, the blood and abdominal lavage level of tPA was increased in NOCC-AHA hydrogel group. These findings suggested that NOCC-AHA hydrogel had a great potential to serve as an anti-adhesion candidate.

  9. 3D- Printed Poly(ε-caprolactone) Scaffold Integrated with Cell-laden Chitosan Hydrogels for Bone Tissue Engineering

    OpenAIRE

    Dong, Liang; Wang, Shao-Jie; Zhao, Xin-Rong; Zhu, Yu-Fang; Yu, Jia-Kuo

    2017-01-01

    Synthetic polymeric scaffolds are commonly used in bone tissue engineering (BTE) due to their biocompatibility and adequate mechanical properties. However, their hydrophobicity and the lack of specific cell recognition sites confined their practical application. In this study, to improve the cell seeding efficiency and osteoinductivity, an injectable thermo-sensitive chitosan hydrogel (CSG) was incorporated into a 3D-printed poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffold to form a hybrid scaffold. To de...

  10. Three-dimensional dynamic fabrication of engineered cartilage based on chitosan/gelatin hybrid hydrogel scaffold in a spinner flask with a special designed steel frame.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Kedong; Li, Liying; Li, Wenfang; Zhu, Yanxia; Jiao, Zeren; Lim, Mayasari; Fang, Meiyun; Shi, Fangxin; Wang, Ling; Liu, Tianqing

    2015-10-01

    Cartilage transplantation using in vitro tissue engineered cartilage is considered a promising treatment for articular cartilage defects. In this study, we assessed the advantages of adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) combined with chitosan/gelatin hybrid hydrogel scaffolds, which acted as a cartilage biomimetic scaffold, to fabricate a tissue engineered cartilage dynamically in vitro and compared this with traditional static culture. Physical properties of the hydrogel scaffolds were evaluated and ADSCs were inoculated into the hydrogel at a density of 1×10(7) cells/mL and cultured in a spinner flask with a special designed steel framework and feed with chondrogenic inductive media for two weeks. The results showed that the average pore size, porosity, swelling rate and elasticity modulus of hybrid scaffolds with good biocompatibility were 118.25±19.51 μm, 82.60±2.34%, 361.28±0.47% and 61.2±0.16 kPa, respectively. ADSCs grew well in chitosan/gelatin hybrid scaffold and successfully differentiated into chondrocytes, showing that the scaffolds were suitable for tissue engineering applications in cartilage regeneration. Induced cells cultivated in a dynamic spinner flask with a special designed steel frame expressed more proteoglycans and the cell distribution was much more uniform with the scaffold being filled mostly with extracellular matrix produced by cells. A spinner flask with framework promoted proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation of ADSCs within chitosan/gelatin hybrid scaffolds and accelerated dynamic fabrication of cell-hydrogel constructs, which could be a selective and good method to construct tissue engineered cartilage in vitro. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan/montmorillonite nanocomposites preparation by freeze/thaw cycles and characterization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Părpăriţă Elena

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA and chitosan (CS based hydrogels are often chosen to obtain hydrogels as being considered non-toxic for human body. The present study aims the preparation and physical chemical characterisation of hydrogels based PVA and CS by using an environmental friendly method i.e. freeze/thaw. In this method the only parameters affecting the hydrogels’ properties is the PVA concentration in solution, time and number of cycles of freezing / thawing. Repeated freezing and thawing cycles resulted in production of a highly elastic polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel with higher degree of crystallization. Adding chitosan in polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel is giving to the newly formed material, biocompatibility and antibacterial properties due to the free amino groups of chitosan. Higher mechanical and thermal characteristics of PVA/CS based hydrogels were obtained by addition of a small amount of inorganic nanoparticles (montmorillonite clay, C30B into the matrix (i.e. 1%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, near-infrared chemical imaging spectroscopy (NI-CI, X-ray diffraction (XRD, thermogravimetric analysis (TG, swelling and rheological measurements were used to characterize the polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan/montmorillonite properties. The swelling degree increased with decreasing chitosan content in hydrogels and the variation is opposite in nanocomposites, decreasing after introducing the nanoclay. The swelling behaviour was influenced by the presence of the nanoparticles. The plasticizer effect of the nanoparticles was reflected by obtaining a more compact hydrogel network with higher mechanical and thermal properties. The proposed materials can be a promising alternative in biomedical applications

  12. Mucoadhesive hydrogel microparticles based on poly (methacrylic acid-vinyl pyrrolidone)-chitosan for oral drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sajeesh, S; Sharma, Chandra P

    2011-05-01

    The study was aimed at the evaluation of N-vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP) incorporated polymethacrylic acid-chitosan microparticles for oral drug delivery applications. Poly (methacrylic acid)-chitosan (PMC) and poly(methacrylic acid-vinyl pyrrolidone)-chitosan (PMVC) microparticles were prepared by an ionic-gelation method. Mucoadhesion behaviour of these particles was evaluated by ex-vivo adhesion method using freshly excised rat intestinal tissue. Cytotoxicity and absorption enhancing property of PMC and PMVC particles were evaluated on Caco 2 cell monolayers. Protease enzyme inhibition capability and insulin loading/release properties of these hydrogel particles was evaluated under in vitro experimental conditions. Addition of NVP units enhanced the mucoadhesion behavior of PMC particles on isolated rat intestinal tissue. Both PMC and PMVC particles were found non-toxic on Caco 2 cell monolayers and PMC particles was more effective in improving paracellular transport of fluorescent dextran across Caco 2 cell monolayers as compared to PMVC particles. However, protease inhibition efficacy of PMC particles was not significantly affected with NVP addition. NVP incorporation improved the insulin release properties of PMC microparticles at acidic pH. Hydrophilic modification seems to be an interesting approach in improving mucoadhesion capability of PMC microparticles.

  13. Adsorption of crude oil from aqueous solution by hydrogel of chitosan based polyacrylamide prepared by radiation induced graft polymerization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sokker, H.H., E-mail: hesham_sokkre@yahoo.com [Jazan University, Faculty of Science (Saudi Arabia); National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Polymer Chemistry Department, P.O. Box 29, Cairo (Egypt); El-Sawy, Naeem M. [National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Polymer Chemistry Department, P.O. Box 29, Cairo (Egypt); Hassan, M.A. [Scib Company of Paints, Cairo (Egypt); El-Anadouli, Bahgat E. [Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613 (Egypt)

    2011-06-15

    The adsorption of crude oil (initial concentration 0.5-30 g/L) from aqueous solution using hydrogel of chitosan based polyacrylamide (PAM) prepared by radiation induced graft polymerization has been investigated. The prepared hydrogel was characterized by FTIR and SEM micrographs. The experiments were carried out as a function of different initial concentrations of oil residue, acrylamide concentration, contact time and pH to determine the optimum condition for the adsorption of residue oil from aqueous solution and sea water. The results obtained showed that the hydrogel prepared at concentration of 40% acrylamide (AAm) and at a radiation dose of 5 kGy has high removal efficiency of crude oil 2.3 g/g at pH 3. Equilibrium studies have been carried out to determine the capacity of the hydrogel for adsorption of crude oil, Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models were applied to describe the experimental isotherms and isotherms constants. Equilibrium data were found to fit very well with both Freundlich and Langmuir models. Also the adsorption of oil onto the hydrogel behaves as a pseudo-second-order kinetic models rather than the pseudo-first-order kinetic model.

  14. Dual responsive supramolecular hydrogel with electrochemical activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Ping; Liu, Jianghua; Chen, Guosong; Jiang, Ming

    2011-08-02

    Supramolecular materials with reversible responsiveness to environmental changes are of particular research interest in recent years. Inclusion complexation between cyclodextrin (CD) and ferrocene (Fc) is well-known and extensively studied because of its reversible association-dissociation controlled by the redox state of Fc. Although there are quite a few reported nanoscale materials incorporating this host-guest pair, polymeric hydrogels with electrochemical activity based on this interactive pair are still rare. Taking advantage of our previous reported hybrid inclusion complex (HIC) hydrogel structure, a new Fc-HIC was designed and obtained with β-CD-modified quantum dots as the core and Fc-ended diblock co-polymer p(DMA-b-NIPAM) as the shell, to achieve an electrochemically active hydrogel at elevated temperatures. Considering the two independent cross-linking strategies in the network structure, i.e., the interchain aggregation of pNIPAM and inclusion complexation between CD and Fc on the surface of the quantum dots, the hydrogel was fully thermo-reversible and its gel-sol transition was achieved after the addition of either an oxidizing agent or a competitive guest to Fc.

  15. Entrapment of laurel lipase in chitosan hydrogel beads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yagar, Hulya; Balkan, Ugur

    2017-08-01

    Laurel seed lipase was entrapped within chitosan beads with ionotropic gelatin method using tripolyphosphate (TPP) as multivalent covalent counter ion. Immobilization yield was 78%. First, optimum immobilization conditions were determined, and morphology of chitosan beads was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Optimum pH and temperature were evaluated as 6.0 and 40 °C, respectively. The immobilized beads saved about 55% of its activities at 60° while saved about 32% at 70 °C for 30 min. V max /K m values were determined as 31.75 and 2.87 using olive oil as substrate for immobilized beads and free enzyme, respectively. Immobilized beads showed the activities during 30 days at +4 °C.

  16. 3D- Printed Poly(ε-caprolactone) Scaffold Integrated with Cell-laden Chitosan Hydrogels for Bone Tissue Engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Liang; Wang, Shao-Jie; Zhao, Xin-Rong; Zhu, Yu-Fang; Yu, Jia-Kuo

    2017-10-17

    Synthetic polymeric scaffolds are commonly used in bone tissue engineering (BTE) due to their biocompatibility and adequate mechanical properties. However, their hydrophobicity and the lack of specific cell recognition sites confined their practical application. In this study, to improve the cell seeding efficiency and osteoinductivity, an injectable thermo-sensitive chitosan hydrogel (CSG) was incorporated into a 3D-printed poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffold to form a hybrid scaffold. To demonstrate the feasibility of this hybrid system for BTE application, rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) were encapsulated in CSG. Pure PCL scaffolds were used as controls. Cell proliferation and viability were investigated. Osteogenic gene expressions of BMMSCs in various scaffolds were determined with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Growth factor releasing profile and mechanical tests were performed. CCK-8 assay confirmed greater cell retention and proliferation in chitosan and hybrid groups. Confocal microscopy showed even distribution of cells in the hybrid system. After 2-week osteogenic culture in vitro, BMMSCs in hybrid and chitosan scaffolds showed stronger osteogenesis and bone-matrix formation. To conclude, chitosan/PCL hybrid scaffolds are a favorable platform for BTE due to its capacity to carry cells and drugs, and excellent mechanical strength.

  17. Polyisocyanopeptide hydrogels: A novel thermo-responsive hydrogel supporting pre-vascularization and the development of organotypic structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zimoch, Jakub; Padial, Joan Simó; Klar, Agnes S; Vallmajo-Martin, Queralt; Meuli, Martin; Biedermann, Thomas; Wilson, Christopher J; Rowan, Alan; Reichmann, Ernst

    2018-04-01

    interaction that take place in 3D. 3D culture systems aim to overcome limitations of the 2D cultures and answer new questions about cell functions. Thermo-responsive biomimetic polyisocyanopeptide (PIC) hydrogels are promising new candidates for 3D cell, tissue, and organ cultures. They are synthetic and can be tailor to meet certain experimental demands. Additionally, they are characterized by strain-stiffening, a feature crucial for cell behaviour, but rare in hydrogels. Their thermos-responsive properties enable quick recovery of the cells by a simple procedure of lowering the temperature. Copyright © 2018 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Surface grafted chitosan gels. Part II. Gel formation and characterization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Chao; Thormann, Esben; Claesson, Per M.

    2014-01-01

    Responsive biomaterial hydrogels attract significant attention due to their biocompatibility and degradability. In order to make chitosan based gels, we first graft one layer of chitosan to silica, and then build a chitosan/poly(acrylic acid) multilayer using the layer-by-layer approach. After...... cross-linking the chitosan present in the polyelectrolyte multilayer, poly(acrylic acid) is partly removed by exposing the multilayer structure to a concentrated carbonate buffer solution at a high pH, leaving a surface-grafted cross-linked gel. Chemical cross-linking enhances the gel stability against...... detachment and decomposition. The chemical reaction between gluteraldehyde, the cross-linking agent, and chitosan was followed in situ using total internal reflection Raman (TIRR) spectroscopy, which provided a molecular insight into the complex reaction mechanism, as well as the means to quantify the cross...

  19. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel-based shape-adjustable polyimide films triggered by near-human-body temperature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huanqing Cui; Xuemin Du; Juan Wang; Tianhong Tang; Tianzhun Wu

    2016-08-01

    Hydrogel-based shape-adjustable films were successfully fabricated via grafting poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) onto one side of polyimide (PI) films. The prepared PI-g-PNIPAM films exhibited rapid, reversible, and repeatable bending/unbending property by heating to near-human-body temperature (37 °C) or cooling to 25 °C. The excellent property of PI-g-PNIPAM films resulted from a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of PNIPAM at about 32 °C. Varying the thickness of PNIPAM hydrogel layer regulated the thermo-responsive shape bending degree and response speed of PI-g-PNIPAM films. The thermo-induced shrinkage of hydrogel layers can tune the curvature of PI films, which have potential applications in the field of wearable and implantable devices.

  20. Dual Salt- and Thermo-Responsive Programmable Bilayer Hydrogel Actuators with Pseudo-Interpenetrating Double-Network Structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Shengwei; Zhang, Mingzhen; He, Xiaomin; Huang, Lei; Zhang, Yanxian; Ren, Baiping; Zhong, Mingqiang; Chang, Yung; Yang, Jintao; Zheng, Jie

    2018-06-07

    Development of smart soft actuators is highly important for fundamental research and industrial applications, but has proved to be extremely challenging. In this work, we present a facile, one-pot, one-step method to prepare dual-responsive bilayer hydrogels, consisting of a thermos-responsive poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (polyNIPAM) layer and a salt-responsive poly(3-(1-(4-vinylbenzyl)-1H-imidazol-3-ium-3-yl)propane-1-sulfonat) (polyVBIPS) layer. Both polyNIPAM and polyVBIPs layers exhibit a completely opposite swelling/shrinking behavior, where polyNIPAM shrinks (swells) but polyVBIPS swells (shrinks) in salt solution (water) or at high (low) temperatures. By tuning NIPAM:VBIPS ratios, the resulting polyNIPAM/polyVBIPS bilayer hydrogels enable to achieve fast and large-amplitude bidirectional bending in response to temperatures, salt concentrations, and salt types. Such bidirectional bending, bending orientation and degree can be reversibly, repeatedly, and precisely controlled by salt- or temperature-induced cooperative, swelling-shrinking properties from both layers. Based on their fast, reversible, bidirectional bending behavior, we further design two conceptual hybrid hydrogel actuators, serving as a six-arm gripper to capture, transport, and release an object and an electrical circuit switch to turn on-and-off a lamp. Different from the conventional two or multi-step methods for preparation of bilayer hydrogels, our simple, one-pot, one-step method and a new bilayer hydrogel system provide an innovative concept to explore new hydrogel-based actuators through combining different responsive materials that allow to program different stimulus for soft and intelligent materials applications.

  1. In vitro and in vivo evaluation of microporous chitosan hydrogel/nanofibrin composite bandage for skin tissue regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sudheesh Kumar, P T; Raj, N Mincy; Praveen, G; Chennazhi, Krishna Prasad; Nair, Shantikumar V; Jayakumar, R

    2013-02-01

    In this work, we have developed chitosan hydrogel/nanofibrin composite bandages (CFBs) and characterized using Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The homogeneous distribution of nanofibrin in the prepared chitosan hydrogel matrix was confirmed by phosphotungstic acid-hematoxylin staining. The mechanical strength, swelling, biodegradation, porosity, whole-blood clotting, and platelet activation studies were carried out. In addition, the cell viability, cell attachment, and infiltration of the prepared CFBs were evaluated using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cells. It was found that the CFBs were microporous, flexible, biodegradable, and showed enhanced blood clotting and platelet activity compared to the one without nanofibrin. The prepared CFBs were capable of absorbing fluid and this was confirmed when immersed in phosphate buffered saline. Cell viability studies on HUVECs and HDF cells proved the nontoxic nature of the CFBs. Cell attachment and infiltration studies showed that the cells were found attached and proliferated on the CFBs. In vivo experiments were carried out in Sprague-Dawley rats and found that the wound healing occurred within 2 weeks when treated with CFBs than compared to the bare wound and wound treated with Kaltostat. The deposition of collagen was found to be more on CFB-treated wounds compared to the control. The above results proved the use of these CFBs as an ideal candidate for skin tissue regeneration and wound healing.

  2. Thermo-responsive hydrogels for intravitreal injection and biomolecule release

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drapala, Pawel

    In this dissertation, we develop an injectable polymer system to enable localized and prolonged release of therapeutic biomolecules for improved treatment of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Thermo-responsive hydrogels derived from N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and cross-linked with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) poly(L-Lactic acid) (PLLA) copolymer were synthesized via free-radical polymerization. These materials were investigated for (a) phase change behavior, (b) in-vitro degradation, (c) capacity for controlled drug delivery, and (d) biocompatibility. The volume-phase transition temperature (VPTT) of the PNIPAAm- co-PEG-b-PLLA hydrogels was adjusted using hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties so that it is ca. 33°C. These hydrogels did not initially show evidence of degradation at 37°C due to physical cross-links of collapsed PNIPAAm. Only after addition of glutathione chain transfer agents (CTA)s to the precursor did the collapsed hydrogels become fully soluble at 37°C. CTAs significantly affected the release kinetics of biomolecules; addition of 1.0 mg/mL glutathione to 3 mM cross-linker accelerated hydrogel degradation, resulting in 100% release in less than 2 days. This work also explored the effect of PEGylation in order to tether biomolecules to the polymer matrix. It was demonstrated that non-site-specific PEGylation can postpone the burst release of solutes (up to 10 days in hydrogels with 0.5 mg/mL glutathione). Cell viability assays showed that at least two 20-minute buffer extraction steps were needed to remove cytotoxic elements from the hydrogels. Clinically-used therapeutic biomolecules LucentisRTM and AvastinRTM were demonstrated to be both stable and bioactive after release form PNIPAAm-co-PEG-b-PLLA hydrogels. The thermo-responsive hydrogels presented here offer a promising platform for the localized delivery of proteins such as recombinant antibodies.

  3. Novel Hydrogels from Renewable Resources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karaaslan, Muzafer Ahmet

    2011-12-01

    The cell wall of most plant biomass from forest and agricultural resources consists of three major polymers, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Of these, hemicelluloses have gained increasing attention as sustainable raw materials. In the first part of this study, novel pH-sensitive semi-IPN hydrogels based on hemicelluloses and chitosan were prepared using glutaraldehyde as the crosslinking agent. The hemicellulose isolated from aspen was analyzed for sugar content by HPLC, and its molecular weight distribution was determined by high performance size exclusion chromatography. Results revealed that hemicellulose had a broad molecular weight distribution with a fair amount of polymeric units, together with xylose, arabinose and glucose. The effect of hemicellulose content on mechanical properties and swelling behavior of hydrogels were investigated. The semi-IPNs hydrogel structure was confirmed by FT-IR, X-ray study and ninhydrin assay method. X-ray analysis showed that higher hemicellulose contents yielded higher crystallinity. Mechanical properties were mainly dependent on the crosslink density and average molecular weight between crosslinks. Swelling ratios increased with increasing hemicellulose content and were high at low pH values due to repulsion between similarly charged groups. In vitro release study of a model drug showed that these semi-IPN hydrogels could be used for controlled drug delivery into gastric fluid. The aim of the second part of this study was to control the crosslink density and the mechanical properties of hemicellulose/chitosan semi-IPN hydrogels by changing the crosslinking sequence. It has been hypothesized that by performing the crosslinking step before introducing hemicellulose, covalent crosslinking of chitosan would not be hindered and therefore more and/or shorter crosslinks could be formed. Furthermore, additional secondary interactions and crystalline domains introduced through hemicellulose could be favorable in terms of

  4. Preliminary evaluation of a thermosensitive chitosan hydrogel for Echinococcus granulosus vaccine delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Umair, Saleh; Pernthaner, Anton; Deng, Qing; Gibson, Blake; Hook, Sarah; Heath, David

    2017-03-15

    The EG95 vaccine is effective in protecting grazing animals from infection with Echinococcus granulosus. Six male lambs were used in the study, two were each vaccinated subcutaneously with 50μg EG95/1mg Quil-A, two animals were each vaccinated with 50μg EG95/1mg Quil-A in 1% chitosan thermolabile gel subcutaneously, and two animals served as non-vaccinated controls. Two vaccinations were given at a 7 week interval. Two vaccinations induced a significantly higher antibody titre in the chitosan group compared with the Quil-A only group. The chitosan vaccine group also had a significantly higher antibody titre compared with a positive control sera from vaccinated and challenged sheep. Incorporating the EG95/Quil-A vaccine in a thermo-responsive chitosan sol-gel stimulated, after the second injection, a high level of antibody absorbance which remained high for at least one year. This response was significantly greater than the response to vaccine without the gel. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Highly defined 3D printed chitosan scaffolds featuring improved cell growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elviri, Lisa; Foresti, Ruben; Bergonzi, Carlo; Zimetti, Francesca; Marchi, Cinzia; Bianchera, Annalisa; Bernini, Franco; Silvestri, Marco; Bettini, Ruggero

    2017-07-12

    The augmented demand for medical devices devoted to tissue regeneration and possessing a controlled micro-architecture means there is a need for industrial scale-up in the production of hydrogels. A new 3D printing technique was applied to the automation of a freeze-gelation method for the preparation of chitosan scaffolds with controlled porosity. For this aim, a dedicated 3D printer was built in-house: a preliminary effort has been necessary to explore the printing parameter space to optimize the printing results in terms of geometry, tolerances and mechanical properties of the product. Analysed parameters included viscosity of the starting chitosan solution, which was measured with a Brookfield viscometer, and temperature of deposition, which was determined by filming the process with a cryocooled sensor thermal camera. Optimized parameters were applied to the production of scaffolds from solutions of chitosan alone or with the addition of raffinose as a viscosity modifier. Resulting hydrogels were characterized in terms of morphology and porosity. In vitro cell culture studies comparing 3D printed scaffolds with their homologous produced by solution casting evidenced an improvement in biocompatibility deriving from the production technique as well as from the solid state modification of chitosan stemming from the addition of the viscosity modifier.

  6. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel/chitosan scaffold hybrid for three-dimensional stem cell culture and cartilage tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mellati, Amir; Kiamahalleh, Meisam Valizadeh; Madani, S Hadi; Dai, Sheng; Bi, Jingxiu; Jin, Bo; Zhang, Hu

    2016-11-01

    Providing a controllable and definable three-dimensional (3D) microenvironment for chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) remains a great challenge for cartilage tissue engineering. In this work, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) polymers with the degrees of polymerization of 100 and 400 (NI100 and NI400) were prepared and the polymer solutions were introduced into the preprepared chitosan porous scaffolds (CS) to form hybrids (CSNI100 and CSNI400, respectively). SEM images indicated that the PNIPAAm gel partially occupied chitosan pores while the interconnected porous structure of chitosan was preserved. MSCs were incorporated within the hybrid and cell proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation were monitored. After 7-day incubation of the cell-laden constructs in a growth medium, the cell viability in CSNI100 and CSNI400 were 54 and 108% higher than that in CS alone, respectively. Glycosaminoglycan and total collagen contents increased 2.6- and 2.5-fold after 28-day culture of cell-laden CSNI400 in the chondrogenic medium. These results suggest that the hybrid structure composed of the chitosan porous scaffold and the well-defined PNIPAAm hydrogel, in particular CSNI400, is suitable for 3D stem cell culture and cartilage tissue engineering. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 2764-2774, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Novel highly porous magnetic hydrogel beads composed of chitosan and sodium citrate: an effective adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pu, Shengyan; Ma, Hui; Zinchenko, Anatoly; Chu, Wei

    2017-07-01

    This research focuses on the removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions using magnetic chitosan hydrogel beads as a potential sorbent. Highly porous magnetic chitosan hydrogel (PMCH) beads were prepared by a combination of in situ co-precipitation and sodium citrate cross-linking. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that the high sorption efficiency of metal cations is attributable to the hydroxyl, amino, and carboxyl groups in PMCH beads. Thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that introducing Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles increases the thermal stability of the adsorbent. Laser confocal microscopy revealed highly uniform porous structure of the resultant PMCH beads, which contained a high moisture content (93%). Transmission electron microscopy micrographs showed that the Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles, with a mean diameter of 5 ± 2 nm, were well dispersed inside the chitosan beads. Batch adsorption experiments and adsorption kinetic analysis revealed that the adsorption process obeys a pseudo-second-order model. Isotherm data were satisfactorily described by the Langmuir equation, and the maximum adsorption capacity of the adsorbent was 84.02 mg/g. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectra analyses were performed to confirm the adsorption of Pb 2+ and to identify the adsorption mechanism.

  8. An Investigation of Chitosan for Sorption of Radionuclides

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-05

    Valenta et al. found that hydrogels made of EDTA-chitsoan were resistant to bacterial growth [88]. Nishi et al. found that alka- line earth metals...reviews of chitosan deriva- tives have been recently published [8, 21, 75, 89]. 10 Table 2.1: Select applications of chitosan. From [72, 75]. Agriculture ...pharmaceuticals 2.1.3 Chitosan applications Chitosan has found applications in a wide range of fields, including agriculture , water treatment, biomedical

  9. Evaluating a simple blending approach to prepare magnetic and stimuli-responsive composite hydrogel particles for application in biomedical field

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Ahmad

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The inclusion of super paramagnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4 nanoparticles in stimuli-responsive hydrogel is expected to enhance the application potential for cellular therapy in cell labeling, separation and purification, protein immobilization, contrasting enhancement in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, localized therapeutic hyperthermia, biosensors etc. in biomedical field. In this investigation two different magnetic and stimuli-responsive composite hydrogel particles with variable surface property were prepared by simply blending Fe3O4/SiO2 nanocomposite particles with stimuli-responsive hydrogel particles. Of the hydrogel particles prepared by free-radical precipitation polymerization poly(styrene-N-isopropylacrylamide-methyl methacrylate-polyethylene glycol methacrylate or P(S-NIPAM-MMA-PEGMA was temperature-sensitive and poly(S-NIPAM-methacrylic acid-PEGMA or P(S-NIPAM-MAA-PEGMA was both temperature- and pH-responsive. The morphological structure, size distributions and volume phase transitions of magnetic and stimuli-responsive composite hydrogel particles were analyzed. Temperature-responsive absorptions of biomolecules were observed on both magnetic and stimuli-responsive Fe3O4/SiO2/P(S-NIPAM-MMA-PEGMA and Fe3O4/SiO2/P(S-NIPAM-MAA-PEGMA composite hydrogel particles and separation of particles from the dispersion media could be achieved by applying magnetic field without time consuming centrifugation or decantation method.

  10. Three-dimensional dynamic fabrication of engineered cartilage based on chitosan/gelatin hybrid hydrogel scaffold in a spinner flask with a special designed steel frame

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Kedong; Li, Liying; Li, Wenfang; Zhu, Yanxia; Jiao, Zeren; Lim, Mayasari; Fang, Meiyun; Shi, Fangxin; Wang, Ling; Liu, Tianqing

    2015-01-01

    Cartilage transplantation using in vitro tissue engineered cartilage is considered a promising treatment for articular cartilage defects. In this study, we assessed the advantages of adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) combined with chitosan/gelatin hybrid hydrogel scaffolds, which acted as a cartilage biomimetic scaffold, to fabricate a tissue engineered cartilage dynamically in vitro and compared this with traditional static culture. Physical properties of the hydrogel scaffolds were evaluated and ADSCs were inoculated into the hydrogel at a density of 1 × 10 7 cells/mL and cultured in a spinner flask with a special designed steel framework and feed with chondrogenic inductive media for two weeks. The results showed that the average pore size, porosity, swelling rate and elasticity modulus of hybrid scaffolds with good biocompatibility were 118.25 ± 19.51 μm, 82.60 ± 2.34%, 361.28 ± 0.47% and 61.2 ± 0.16 kPa, respectively. ADSCs grew well in chitosan/gelatin hybrid scaffold and successfully differentiated into chondrocytes, showing that the scaffolds were suitable for tissue engineering applications in cartilage regeneration. Induced cells cultivated in a dynamic spinner flask with a special designed steel frame expressed more proteoglycans and the cell distribution was much more uniform with the scaffold being filled mostly with extracellular matrix produced by cells. A spinner flask with framework promoted proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation of ADSCs within chitosan/gelatin hybrid scaffolds and accelerated dynamic fabrication of cell–hydrogel constructs, which could be a selective and good method to construct tissue engineered cartilage in vitro. - Highlights: • ADSCs/hybrid scaffold constructs are dynamically fabricated in a spinner flask with a special framework. • Inside convection in spinner flask made enough supplement of oxygen and nutrients far beyond the depth of passive diffusion. • 3D culture environment accelerated mass

  11. Three-dimensional dynamic fabrication of engineered cartilage based on chitosan/gelatin hybrid hydrogel scaffold in a spinner flask with a special designed steel frame

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Song, Kedong, E-mail: kedongsong@dlut.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian R& D Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China); Li, Liying; Li, Wenfang [State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian R& D Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China); Zhu, Yanxia [Anti-Ageing and Regenerative Medicine Centre, Shenzhen University, 3688 Nanhai Avenue, Shenzhen 518060 Guangdong (China); Jiao, Zeren [State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian R& D Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China); Lim, Mayasari [Division of Bioengineering, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637457 (Singapore); Fang, Meiyun [Department of Hematology, First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011 (China); Shi, Fangxin [Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011 (China); Wang, Ling, E-mail: whwl@hotmail.com [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011 (China); Liu, Tianqing, E-mail: liutq@dlut.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian R& D Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China)

    2015-10-01

    Cartilage transplantation using in vitro tissue engineered cartilage is considered a promising treatment for articular cartilage defects. In this study, we assessed the advantages of adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) combined with chitosan/gelatin hybrid hydrogel scaffolds, which acted as a cartilage biomimetic scaffold, to fabricate a tissue engineered cartilage dynamically in vitro and compared this with traditional static culture. Physical properties of the hydrogel scaffolds were evaluated and ADSCs were inoculated into the hydrogel at a density of 1 × 10{sup 7} cells/mL and cultured in a spinner flask with a special designed steel framework and feed with chondrogenic inductive media for two weeks. The results showed that the average pore size, porosity, swelling rate and elasticity modulus of hybrid scaffolds with good biocompatibility were 118.25 ± 19.51 μm, 82.60 ± 2.34%, 361.28 ± 0.47% and 61.2 ± 0.16 kPa, respectively. ADSCs grew well in chitosan/gelatin hybrid scaffold and successfully differentiated into chondrocytes, showing that the scaffolds were suitable for tissue engineering applications in cartilage regeneration. Induced cells cultivated in a dynamic spinner flask with a special designed steel frame expressed more proteoglycans and the cell distribution was much more uniform with the scaffold being filled mostly with extracellular matrix produced by cells. A spinner flask with framework promoted proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation of ADSCs within chitosan/gelatin hybrid scaffolds and accelerated dynamic fabrication of cell–hydrogel constructs, which could be a selective and good method to construct tissue engineered cartilage in vitro. - Highlights: • ADSCs/hybrid scaffold constructs are dynamically fabricated in a spinner flask with a special framework. • Inside convection in spinner flask made enough supplement of oxygen and nutrients far beyond the depth of passive diffusion. • 3D culture environment accelerated mass

  12. E-beam crosslinked, biocompatible functional hydrogels incorporating polyaniline nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dispenza, C.; Sabatino, M.-A.; Niconov, A.; Chmielewska, D.; Spadaro, G.

    2012-01-01

    PANI aqueous nanocolloids in their acid-doped, inherently conductive form were synthesised by means of suitable water soluble polymers used as stabilisers. In particular, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) or chitosan (CT) was used to stabilise PANI nanoparticles, thus preventing PANI precipitation during synthesis and upon storage. Subsequently, e-beam irradiation of the PANI dispersions has been performed with a 12 MeV Linac accelerator. PVA-PANI nanocolloid has been transformed into a PVA-PANI hydrogel nanocomposite by radiation induced crosslinking of PVA. CT-PANI nanoparticles dispersion, in turn, was added to PVA to obtain wall-to-wall gels, as chitosan mainly undergoes chain scission under the chosen irradiation conditions. While the obtainment of uniform PANI particle size distribution was preliminarily ascertained with laser light scattering and TEM microscopy, the typical porous structure of PVA-based freeze dried hydrogels was observed with SEM microscopy for the hydrogel nanocomposites. UV−visible absorption spectroscopy demonstrates that the characteristic, pH-dependent and reversible optical absorption properties of PANI are conferred to the otherwise optically transparent PVA hydrogels. Selected formulations have been also subjected to MTT assays to prove the absence of cytotoxicity. - Highlights: ► PANI nanocolloids were chemically synthesised in the presence of PVA and chitosan. ► PANI dispersions were transformed into hydrogel nanocomposites by e-beam irradiation. ► Characteristic optical properties of PANI were shown by the nanocomposite hydrogels. ► Absence of cytotoxicity for the nanocomposite hydrogels is demonstrated. ► Results encourage developments for application in biosensing and smart drug delivery.

  13. A pH- and temperature-responsive bioresorbable injectable hydrogel based on polypeptide block copolymers for the sustained delivery of proteins in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turabee, Md Hasan; Thambi, Thavasyappan; Duong, Huu Thuy Trang; Jeong, Ji Hoon; Lee, Doo Sung

    2018-02-27

    Sustained delivery of protein therapeutics is limited owing to the fragile nature of proteins. Despite its great potential, delivery of proteins without any loss of bioactivity remains a challenge in the use of protein therapeutics in the clinic. To surmount this shortcoming, we report a pH- and temperature-responsive in situ-forming injectable hydrogel based on comb-type polypeptide block copolymers for the controlled delivery of proteins. Polypeptide block copolymers, composed of hydrophilic polyethylene glycol (PEG), temperature-responsive poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate) (PBLG), and pH-responsive oligo(sulfamethazine) (OSM), exhibit pH- and temperature-induced sol-to-gel transition behavior in aqueous solutions. Polypeptide block copolymers were synthesized by combining N-carboxyanhydride-based ring-opening polymerization and post-functionalization of the chain-end using N-hydroxy succinimide ester activated OSM. The physical properties of polypeptide-based hydrogels were tuned by varying the composition of temperature- and pH-responsive PBLG and OSM in block copolymers. Polypeptide block copolymers were non-toxic to human embryonic kidney cells at high concentrations (2000 μg mL -1 ). Subcutaneous administration of polypeptide block copolymer sols formed viscoelastic gel instantly at the back of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The in vivo gels exhibited sustained degradation and were found to be bioresorbable in 6 weeks without any noticeable inflammation at the injection site. Anionic characteristics of hydrogels allow efficient loading of a cationic model protein, lysozyme, through electrostatic interaction. Lysozyme-loaded polypeptide block copolymer sols readily formed a viscoelastic gel in vivo and sustained lysozyme release for at least a week. Overall, the results demonstrate an elegant approach to control the release of certain charged proteins and open a myriad of therapeutic possibilities in protein therapeutics.

  14. Co-fabrication of chitosan and epoxy photoresist to form microwell arrays with permeable hydrogel bottoms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ornoff, Douglas M.; Wang, Yuli; Proctor, Angela; Shah, Akash S.; Allbritton, Nancy L.

    2015-01-01

    Microfabrication technology offers the potential to create biological platforms with customizable patterns and surface chemistries, allowing precise control over the biochemical microenvironment to which a cell or group of cells is exposed. However, most microfabricated platforms grow cells on impermeable surfaces. This report describes the co-fabrication of a micropatterned epoxy photoresist film with a chitosan film to create a freestanding array of permeable, hydrogel-bottomed microwells. These films possess optical properties ideal for microscopy applications, and the chitosan layers are semi-permeable with a molecular exclusion of 9.9 ± 2.1 kDa. By seeding cells into the microwells, overlaying inert mineral oil, and supplying media via the bottom surface, this hybrid film permits cells to be physically isolated from one another but maintained in culture for at least 4 days. Arrays co-fabricated using these materials reduce both large-molecular-weight biochemical crosstalk between cells and mixing of different clonal populations, and will enable high-throughput studies of cellular heterogeneity with increased ability to customize dynamic interrogations compared to materials in currently available technologies. PMID:26447557

  15. Structure of chitosan thermosensitive gels containing graphene oxide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tylman, Michał; Pieklarz, Katarzyna; Owczarz, Piotr; Maniukiewicz, Waldemar; Modrzejewska, Zofia

    2018-06-01

    The supramolecular hydrogels of chitosan and graphene oxide (GO) have been prepared at temperature of the human body, by controlling the concentration of GO and ratio of chitosan to GO. During the preparation of gels the sodium β-glycerophosphate (Na-β-GP) was used as a neutralizing agent. The structure of obtained gels was determined on the basis of FTIR spectra and XRD diffraction patterns. The results of structural studies have been referenced to gels without graphene oxide. It was found that the gels crystalline structure after the addition of GO does not change. The XRD diffraction patterns are characterized by a number of peaks associated with precipitated NaCl during drying and presence of sodium β-glycerophosphate.

  16. Dynamic and biocompatible thermo-responsive magnetic hydrogels that respond to an alternating magnetic field

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crippa, Federica; Moore, Thomas L.; Mortato, Mariangela; Geers, Christoph; Haeni, Laetitia; Hirt, Ann M.; Rothen-Rutishauser, Barbara; Petri-Fink, Alke

    2017-04-01

    Magnetic thermo-responsive hydrogels are a new class of materials that have recently attracted interest in biomedicine due to their ability to change phase upon magnetic stimulation. They have been used for drug release, magnetic hyperthermia treatment, and can potentially be engineered as stimuli-responsive substrates for cell mechanobiology. In this regard, we propose a series of magnetic thermo-responsive nanocomposite substrates that undergo cyclical swelling and de-swelling phases when actuated by an alternating magnetic field in aqueous environment. The synthetized substrates are obtained with a facile and reproducible method from poly-N-isopropylacrylamide and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. Their conformation and the temperature-related, magnetic, and biological behaviors were characterized via scanning electron microscopy, swelling ratio analysis, vibrating sample magnetometry, alternating magnetic field stimulation and indirect viability assays. The nanocomposites showed no cytotoxicity with fibroblast cells, and exhibited swelling/de-swelling behavior near physiological temperatures (around 34 °C). Therefore these magnetic thermo-responsive hydrogels are promising materials as stimuli-responsive substrates allowing the study of cell-behavior by changing the hydrogel properties in situ.

  17. Biopolymer-based hydrogels as injectable materials for tissue repair scaffolds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fiejdasz, Sylwia; Szczubiałka, Krzysztof; Lewandowska-Łańcucka, Joanna; Nowakowska, Maria; Osyczka, Anna M

    2013-01-01

    The progress in tissue regeneration is strongly dependent on the development of biocompatible materials with properties resembling those of a native tissue. Also, the application of noninvasive methods of delivering the scaffold into the tissue defect is of great importance. In this study we present a group of biopolymer-based materials as potential injectable scaffolds. In contrast to other studies involving collagen neutralization or additional incubation of gel in genipin solution, we propose collagen and collagen–chitosan gels crosslinked in situ with genipin. Since some parameters of the cells should be considered in the microscale, the steady-state fluorescence anisotropy was applied to study the microenvironment of the gels. To our knowledge we are the first to report on microrheological properties, such as gel time and microviscosity, for this group of hydrogels. Rapid gelation at physiological temperatures found makes these materials of special interest in applications requiring gel injectability. Physico-chemical investigation showed the influence of the crosslinking agent concentration and chitosan addition on the crosslinking degree, swelling ratio, gel microviscosity, and the degradation rate. Strong correlation was revealed between the surface wettability and the viability of cultured mesenchymal stem cells. Cytotoxicity studies indicated that the collagen–chitosan hydrogels showed the best biocompatibility. (paper)

  18. Stimuli-responsive hydrogels in drug delivery and tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sood, Nikhil; Bhardwaj, Ankur; Mehta, Shuchi; Mehta, Abhinav

    2016-01-01

    Hydrogels are the three-dimensional network structures obtained from a class of synthetic or natural polymers which can absorb and retain a significant amount of water. Hydrogels are one of the most studied classes of polymer-based controlled drug release. These have attracted considerable attention in biochemical and biomedical fields because of their characteristics, such as swelling in aqueous medium, biocompatibility, pH and temperature sensitivity or sensitivity towards other stimuli, which can be utilized for their controlled zero-order release. The hydrogels are expected to explore new generation of self-regulated delivery system having a wide array of desirable properties. This review highlights the exciting opportunities and challenges in the area of hydrogels. Here, we review different literatures on stimuli-sensitive hydrogels, such as role of temperature, electric potential, pH and ionic strength to control the release of drug from hydrogels.

  19. Preparation and swelling properties of pH-sensitive composite hydrogel beads based on chitosan-g-poly (acrylic acid)/vermiculite and sodium alginate for diclofenac controlled release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Qin; Xie, Xiaoling; Zhang, Xiaowei; Zhang, Junping; Wang, Aiqin

    2010-04-01

    A series of pH-sensitive composite hydrogel beads, chitosan-g-poly (acrylic acid)/vermiculite/sodium alginate (CTS-g-PAA/VMT/SA), was prepared using CTS-g-PAA/VMT composite and SA by Ca(2+) as the crosslinking agent. The structure and morphologies of the developed composite hydrogel beads were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The swelling properties and pH-sensitivity of the beads were investigated. In addition, the drug loading and controlled release behaviors of the beads were also evaluated using diclofenac sodium (DS) as the model drug in stimulated gastric fluids (pH 2.1) and intestinal fluids (pH 6.8). The results indicate that the composite hydrogel beads showed good pH-sensitivity. The release rate of the drug from the composite hydrogel beads is remarkably slowed down, which indicated that incorporating VMT into the composite hydrogel beads can improve the burst release effect of the drug. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Injectable dual redox responsive diselenide-containing poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Chu; Shan, Meng; Li, Bingqiang; Wu, Guolin

    2017-09-01

    An injectable dual redox responsive diselenide-containing poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogel was successfully developed by combining the conceptions of injectable hydrogels and dual redox responsive diselenides. In the first step, four-armed PEG was modified with N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS)-activated esters and thereafter, crosslinked by selenocystamine crosslinkers to form injectable hydrogels via the rapid reaction between NHS-activated esters and amino groups. The cross-sectional morphology, mechanical properties, and crosslinking modes of hydrogels were well characterized via scanning electron microscope (SEM), rheological measurements, and Fourier transform infrared spectra, respectively. In addition, the oxidation- and reduction-responsive degradation behaviors of hydrogels were observed and analyzed. The model drug, rhodamine B, was encapsulated in the hydrogel. The drug-loaded hydrogel exhibited a dual redox responsive release profile, which was consistent with the degradation experiments. The results of all experiments indicated that the formulated injectable dual redox responsive diselenide-containing PEG hydrogel can have potential applications in various biomedical fields such as drug delivery and stimuli-responsive drug release. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 2451-2460, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Development of Hydrogel with Anti-Inflammatory Properties Permissive for the Growth of Human Adipose Mesenchymal Stem Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Sánchez-Sánchez

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Skin wound repair requires the development of different kinds of biomaterials that must be capable of restoring the damaged tissue. Type I collagen and chitosan have been widely used to develop scaffolds for skin engineering because of their cell-related signaling properties such as proliferation, migration, and survival. Collagen is the major component of the skin extracellular matrix (ECM, while chitosan mimics the structure of the native polysaccharides and glycosaminoglycans in the ECM. Chitosan and its derivatives are also widely used as drug delivery vehicles since they are biodegradable and noncytotoxic. Regulation of the inflammatory response is crucial for wound healing and tissue regeneration processes; and, consequently, the development of biomaterials such as hydrogels with anti-inflammatory properties is very important and permissive for the growth of cells. In the last years, it has been shown that mesenchymal stem cells have clinical importance in the treatment of different pathologies, for example, skin injuries. In this paper, we describe the anti-inflammatory activity of collagen type 1/chitosan/dexamethasone hydrogel, which is permissive for the culture of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADMSC. Our results show that hADMSC cultured in the hydrogel are viable, proliferate, and secrete the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10 but not the inflammatory cytokine Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α.

  2. Natural fibers for hydrogels production and their applications in agriculture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liliana Serna Cock

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a review on hydrogels applied to agriculture emphasizing on the use of natural fibers. The objectives were to examine, trends in research addressed to identify natural fibers used in hydrogels development and methods for modifying natural fibers, understand factors which determine the water retention capacity of a hydrogel. Consequently, this paper shows some methodologies used to evaluate the hydrogels efficiency and to collect in tables, relevant information in relation to methods of natural fibers modification and hydrogel synthesis. It was found that previous research focused on hydrogels development processed with biodegradable polymers such as starch, chitosan and modified natural fibers, cross-linked with potassium acrylate and acrylamide, respectively. In addition, current researches aimed to obtaining hydrogels with improved properties, which have allowed a resistance to climatic variations and soil physicochemical changes, such as pH, presence of salts, temperature and composition. In fact, natural fibers such as sugarcane, agave fiber and kapok fiber, modified with maleic anhydride, are an alternative to obtain hydrogels due to an increasing of mechanical properties and chemically active sites. However, the use of natural nanofibers in hydrogels, has been a successful proposal to improve hydrogels mechanical and swelling properties, since they give to material an elasticity and rigidity properties. A hydrogel efficiency applied to soil, is measured throughout properties as swellability, mechanical strength, and soil water retention. It was concluded that hydrogels, are an alternative to the current needs for the agricultural sector.

  3. Encapsulation of rat bone marrow stromal cells using a poly-ion complex gel of chitosan and succinylated poly(Pro-Hyp-Gly).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kusumastuti, Yuni; Shibasaki, Yoshiaki; Hirohara, Shiho; Kobayashi, Mime; Terada, Kayo; Ando, Tsuyoshi; Tanihara, Masao

    2017-03-01

    Encapsulation of stem cells into a three-dimensional (3D) scaffold is necessary to achieve tissue regeneration. Prefabricated 3D scaffolds, such as fibres or porous sponges, have limitations regarding homogeneous cell distribution. Hydrogels that can encapsulate cells such as animal-derived collagen gels need adjustment of the pH and/or temperature upon cell mixing. In this report, we fabricated a poly-ion complex (PIC) hydrogel of chitosan and succinylated poly(Pro-Hyp-Gly) and assessed its effect on cell viability after encapsulation of rat bone marrow stromal cells. PIC hydrogels were obtained successfully with a concentration of each precursor as low as 3.0-3.8 mg/ml. The maximum gelation and swelling ratios were achieved with an equal molar ratio (1:1) of anionic and cationic groups. Using chitosan acetate as a cationic precursor produced a PIC hydrogel with both a significantly greater gelation ratio and a better swelling ratio than chitosan chloride. Ammonium succinylated poly(Pro-Hyp-Gly) as an anionic precursor gave similar gelation and swelling ratios to those of sodium succinylated poly(Pro-Hyp-Gly). Cell encapsulation was also achieved successfully by mixing rat bone marrow stromal cells with the PIC hydrogel simultaneously during its formation. The PIC hydrogel was maintained in the culture medium for 7 days at 37°C and the encapsulated cells survived and proliferated in it. Although it is necessary to improve its functionality, this PIC hydrogel has the potential to act as a 3D scaffold for cell encapsulation and tissue regeneration. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  4. Chitosan: An Update on Potential Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Randy Chi Fai Cheung

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Chitosan is a natural polycationic linear polysaccharide derived from chitin. The low solubility of chitosan in neutral and alkaline solution limits its application. Nevertheless, chemical modification into composites or hydrogels brings to it new functional properties for different applications. Chitosans are recognized as versatile biomaterials because of their non-toxicity, low allergenicity, biocompatibility and biodegradability. This review presents the recent research, trends and prospects in chitosan. Some special pharmaceutical and biomedical applications are also highlighted.

  5. Chitosan: An Update on Potential Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, Randy Chi Fai; Ng, Tzi Bun; Wong, Jack Ho; Chan, Wai Yee

    2015-01-01

    Chitosan is a natural polycationic linear polysaccharide derived from chitin. The low solubility of chitosan in neutral and alkaline solution limits its application. Nevertheless, chemical modification into composites or hydrogels brings to it new functional properties for different applications. Chitosans are recognized as versatile biomaterials because of their non-toxicity, low allergenicity, biocompatibility and biodegradability. This review presents the recent research, trends and prospects in chitosan. Some special pharmaceutical and biomedical applications are also highlighted. PMID:26287217

  6. Growth modulation of fibroblasts by chitosan-polyvinyl pyrrolidone

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    ... (TCPS) controls. However, no significant difference was observed ( > 0·05) in the number of epithelial (SiHa) cells attached on to the hydrogel as compared to the TCPS control. Although in vivo experiments are awaited, these findings point to the possible use of chitosan-PVP hydrogels in wound-management.

  7. Preparation of supramolecular hydrogel-enzyme hybrids exhibiting biomolecule-responsive gel degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shigemitsu, Hajime; Fujisaku, Takahiro; Onogi, Shoji; Yoshii, Tatsuyuki; Ikeda, Masato; Hamachi, Itaru

    2016-09-01

    Hydrogelators are small, self-assembling molecules that form supramolecular nanofiber networks that exhibit unique dynamic properties. Development of supramolecular hydrogels that degrade in response to various biomolecules could potentially be used for applications in areas such as drug delivery and diagnostics. Here we provide a synthetic procedure for preparing redox-responsive supramolecular hydrogelators that are used to create hydrogels that degrade in response to oxidizing or reducing conditions. The synthesis takes ∼2-4 d, and it can potentially be carried out in parallel to prepare multiple hydrogelator candidates. This described solid-phase peptide synthesis protocol can be used to produce previously described hydrogelators or to construct a focused molecular library to efficiently discover and optimize new hydrogelators. In addition, we describe the preparation of redox-responsive supramolecular hydrogel-enzyme hybrids that are created by mixing aqueous solutions of hydrogelators and enzymes, which requires 2 h for completion. The resultant supramolecular hydrogel-enzyme hybrids exhibit gel degradation in response to various biomolecules, and can be rationally designed by connecting the chemical reactions of the hydrogelators with enzymatic reactions. Gel degradation in response to biomolecules as triggers occurs within a few hours. We also describe the preparation of hydrogel-enzyme hybrids arrayed on flat glass slides, enabling high-throughput analysis of biomolecules such as glucose, uric acid, lactate and so on by gel degradation, which is detectable by the naked eye. The protocol requires ∼6 h to prepare the hydrogel-enzyme hybrid array and to complete the biomolecule assay.

  8. Preparation, characterization and efficacy of lysostaphin-chitosan gel against Staphylococcus aureus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nithya, Sai; Nimal, T R; Baranwal, Gaurav; Suresh, Maneesha K; C P, Anju; Anil Kumar, V; Gopi Mohan, C; Jayakumar, R; Biswas, Raja

    2018-04-15

    Lysostaphin (LST) is a bacteriocin that cleaves within the pentaglycine cross bridge of Staphylococcus aureus peptidoglycan. Previous studies have reported the high efficiency of LST even against multi drug resistant S. aureus including methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA). In this study, we have developed a new chitosan based hydrogel formulation of LST to exploit its anti-staphylococcal activity. The atomic interactions of LST with chitosan were studied by molecular docking studies. The rheology and the antibacterial properties of the developed LSTC gel were evaluated. The developed LST containing chitosan hydrogel (LSTC gel) was flexible, flows smoothly and remains stable at physiological temperature. The in vitro studies by agar well diffusion and ex vivo studies in porcine skin model exhibited a reduction in S. aureus survival by ∼3 Log 10 CFU/mL in the presence of LSTC gel. The cytocompatibility of the gel was tested in vitro using macrophage RAW 264.7 cell line and in vivo in Drosophila melanogaster. A gradual disruption of S. aureus biofilms with the increase of LST concentrations in the LSTC gel was observed which was confirmed by SEM analysis. We conclude that LSTC gel could be highly effectual and advantageous over antibiotics in treating staphylococcal-topical and biofilm infections. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Synthesis of PVA-Chitosan Hydrogels for Wound Dressing Using Gamma Irradiation. Part I: Radiation Degradation of Chitosan in Solid State and in Solution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahlous, M.; Tahtat, D.; Benamer, S.; Nacer Khodja, A.; Larbi Youcef, S.

    2010-01-01

    Chitosan is a partially deacetylated product of chitin, a very abundant polysaccharide, existing in exoskeleton of crustaceans. It is a polymer consisting of glucosamine and N-acetylglucosamine units linked by β-1-4-glycosidic bonds. Chitosan, like others polysaccharides, such as cellulose derivatives, alginates and carrageenan is widely used in food, medicine and cosmetic fields. Chitosan presents a variety of distinctive properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, nontoxicity and nonantigenicity. Chitosan obtained by the deacetylation of chitin has, generally, a high molecular weight, which limits its solubility in aqueous solvents. The reduction of its molecular weight by degradation is usually used in order to improve its water solubility. Water-soluble chitosan exhibit some specific properties, such as antifungal activity, antimicrobial activity and plant growth promotion. Among the methods that have been tried to produce low molecular weight chitosan, radiation processing is the most promising one, since the process is simple, it is carried out at room temperature and no purification of the product is required after processing

  10. Measurement of the dynamic behavior of thin poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels and their phase transition temperatures measured using reflectometric interference spectroscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Okada, Fuminori [Konica Minolta, INC. (Japan); Akiyama, Yoshikatsu, E-mail: akiyama.yoshikatsu@twmu.ac.jp, E-mail: akiyama.yoshikatsu@abmes.twmu.ac.jp; Kobayashi, Jun [Tokyo Women’s Medical University (TWIns), Institute of Advanced Biomedical Engineering and Science (Japan); Ninomiya, Hidetaka [Konica Minolta, INC. (Japan); Kanazawa, Hideko [Keio University, Faculty of Pharmacy (Japan); Yamato, Masayuki; Okano, Teruo [Tokyo Women’s Medical University (TWIns), Institute of Advanced Biomedical Engineering and Science (Japan)

    2015-03-15

    Temperature-responsive cell culture surfaces prepared by modifying tissue-culture polystyrene with nanoscale poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PIPAAm) hydrogels are widely used as intelligent surfaces for the fabrication of various cell sheets that change with temperature. In this work, the characteristics of nanoscale PIPAAm hydrogels were phenomenologically elucidated on the basis of time-dependent surface evaluations under conditions of changing temperature. Because the dynamic characteristics of the nanoscale hydrogel did not exhibit good performance, the nanoscale PIPAAm hydrogel was analyzed by monitoring its temperature-dependent dynamic swelling/deswelling changes using reflectometric interference spectroscopy (RIfS) on an instrument equipped with a microfluidic system. RIfS measurements under ambient atmosphere provided the precise physical thickness of the dry PIPAAm hydrogel (6.7 nm), which agreed with the atomic force microscopy results (6.6 nm). Simulations of the reflectance spectra revealed that changes in the wavelength of the minimum reflectance (Δλ) were attributable to the changes in the refractive index of the thin PIPAAm hydrogel induced by a temperature-dependent volume phase transition. The temperature-dependent Δλ change was used to monitor the swelling/deswelling behavior of the nanoscale PIPAAm hydrogel. In addition, the phase transition temperature of the thin PIPAAm hydrogel under aqueous conditions was also determined to be the inflection point of the plot of the change in Δλ as a function of temperature. The dynamic behavior of a thin PIPAAm hydrogel chemically deposited on a surface was readily analyzed using a new analytical system with RIfS and microfluidic devices.

  11. Radiation processing of chitosan derivative and its characteristics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kamarudin Bahari; Kamarolzaman Hussein; Kamaruddin Hashim; Khairul Zaman Mohd Dahlan

    2002-01-01

    Chitosan is natural polymer derived from chitin, a polysaccharide found in the exoskeleton of shrimps, crabs, fungi and others. Chitosan is a naturally occurring substance that is chemically similar to cellulose. Chitosan possesses a positive ionic charge give ability to chemically bond with negatively charged fats. Chitosan is soluble in organic acid but insoluble in water. Carboxymethyl-chitosan (cm-chitosan) is a derivative of chitosan which is water-soluble was then prepared by a carboxymethylation process of chitosan produced from local shrimp shell. A simple method for synthesis of cm-chitosan has been developed at 55 degree C in aqueous sodium hydroxide / propanol with chloroacetic acid (CAA) or sodium chloroacetate salt (SCA). The modification of chitosan to water-soluble chitosan can be used in hydrogel as anti-bacterial agent and it overcome the problem of bad smell using acetic acid. (Author)

  12. Synthesis, characterization and radiation processing of carboxymethyl-chitosan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kamarudin Bahari; Kamarolzaman Hussein; Kamaruddin Hashim; Khairul Zaman Mohd Dahlan

    2002-01-01

    Chitosan is natural polymer derived from chitin, a polysaccharide found in the exoskeleton of shrimps, crabs, fungi and others. Chitosan is a naturally occurring substance that is chemically similar to cellulose. Chitosan possesses a positive ionic charge give ability to chemically bond with negatively charged fats. Chitosan is soluble in organic acid but insoluble in water. Carboxymethyl-chitosan (cm-chitosan) is a derivative of chitosan which is water-soluble was then prepared by carboxymethylation process of chitosan produced from local shrimp shell. A simple method for synthesis of cm-chitosan has been developed at 55 degree C in aqueous sodium hydroxide / propanol with chloroacetic acid (CAA) or sodium chloroacetate salt (SCA). The modification of chitosan to water-soluble chitosan can be used in hydrogel as anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agent, and it overcome the problem of bad smell using organic acid. (Author)

  13. Biomimetic properties of an injectable chitosan/nano-hydroxyapatite/collagen composite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang Zhi [Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Feng Qingling, E-mail: biomater@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn [Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Yu Bo; Li Songjian [Department of Orthopedics, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282 (China)

    2011-04-08

    To meet the challenges of designing an injectable scaffold and regenerating bone with complex three-dimensional (3D) structures, a biomimetic and injectable hydrogel scaffold based on nano-hydroxyapatite (HA), collagen (Col) and chitosan (Chi) is synthesized. The chitosan/nano-hydroxyapatite/collagen (Chi/HA/Col) solution rapidly forms a stable gel at body temperature. It shows some features of natural bone both in main composition and microstructure. The Chi/HA/Col system can be expected as a candidate for workable systemic minimally invasive scaffolds with surface properties similar to physiological bone based on scanning electron microscopic (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) results.

  14. Biomimetic properties of an injectable chitosan/nano-hydroxyapatite/collagen composite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang Zhi; Feng Qingling; Yu Bo; Li Songjian

    2011-01-01

    To meet the challenges of designing an injectable scaffold and regenerating bone with complex three-dimensional (3D) structures, a biomimetic and injectable hydrogel scaffold based on nano-hydroxyapatite (HA), collagen (Col) and chitosan (Chi) is synthesized. The chitosan/nano-hydroxyapatite/collagen (Chi/HA/Col) solution rapidly forms a stable gel at body temperature. It shows some features of natural bone both in main composition and microstructure. The Chi/HA/Col system can be expected as a candidate for workable systemic minimally invasive scaffolds with surface properties similar to physiological bone based on scanning electron microscopic (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) results.

  15. Synthesis and characterization of chitosan-graft-poly(acrylic acid)/rice husk ash hydrogels composites; Sintese e caracterizacao de hidrogeis compositos de cinza da casca de arroz e quitosana enxertada com poli(acido acrilico)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rodrigues, Francisco H.A. [Universidade Estadual Vale do Acarau - UVA, Sobral, CE (Brazil); Lopes, Gabriel V.; Pereira, Antonio G.B.; Fajardo, Andre R.; Muniz, Edvani C. [Universidade Estadual de Maringa - UEM, PR (Brazil)

    2011-07-01

    According to environmental concerns, super absorbent hydrogel composites were synthesized based on rice husk ash (RHA), an industrial waste, and Chitosan-graft-poly(acrylic acid). The WAXS and FTIR data confirmed the syntheses of hydrogel composites. The effect of crystalline or amorphous RHA on water uptake was investigated. It was found that the RHA in crystalline form induces higher water capacity (W{sub eq}) of composites hydrogels due to the fact that the intra-interactions among silanol groups on RHA make available new sites in the polymer matrix, which could interact to water. (author)

  16. Preparation and characterization of nano-hydroxyapatite within chitosan matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rogina, A.; Ivanković, M.; Ivanković, H.

    2013-01-01

    Nano-composites that show some features of natural bone both in composition and in microstructure have been prepared by in situ precipitation method. Apatite phase has been prepared from cost-effective precursors (calcite and urea phosphate) within chitosan (CS) matrix dissolved in aqueous acetic acid solution. The compositional and morphological properties of composites were studied by means of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Depending on the reaction conditions (temperature, reaction time, glucose addition and pH control) in addition to hydroxyapatite (HA) as a major phase, octacalcium hydrogen phosphate pentahydrate (OCP) and dicalcium phosphate anhydrate (DCPD) were formed as shown by XRD and FTIR. Crystallite lengths of precipitated HA estimated by Scherrer's equation were between 20 and 30 nm. A fibrous morphology (∼ 400 nm) of HA observed by TEM indicates that HA nucleates on chitosan chains. - Highlights: • Nano-hydroxyapatite (HA) was prepared by in situ precipitation within chitosan hydrogels and colloidal chitosan solution. • pH control was regulated by ammonia and urea degradation. • In situ urea degradation provides homogenous HA formation. • TEM imaging indicates fibrous morphology of HA with crystalline size of 400 nm. • Glucose addition and temperature variation affect inorganic phase formation

  17. Progress of research on the adsorption of chitosan and its derivatives to uranium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Caixia; Liu Yunhai; Hua Rong; Pang Cui; Wang Yong

    2010-01-01

    This paper has summarized the study on the adsorption of chitosan and its derivatives to uranium in recent years at home and abroad. It was found that the derivatives can be serine-type chitosan, methyl phosphoric acid modified chitosan, 3,4-dihydroxy benzoic acid-type chitosan, chitosan with 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid moiety, chitosan resin possessing a phenylarsonic acid moiety, quadrol modified chitosan, chitosan modified with molecular imprinting technique, polyacrylamide hydrogel, chitosan-coated perlite and so on. The application vista of chitosan and its derivatives to Absorpt uranium in water has been prospected. (authors)

  18. Excimer laser micropatterning of freestanding thermo-responsive hydrogel layers for cells-on-chip applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santaniello, Tommaso; Milani, Paolo; Lenardi, Cristina; Martello, Federico; Tocchio, Alessandro; Gassa, Federico; Webb, Patrick

    2012-01-01

    We report a novel reliable and repeatable technologic manufacturing protocol for the realization of micro-patterned freestanding hydrogel layers based on thermo-responsive poly-(N-isopropyl)acrylamide (PNIPAAm), which have potential to be employed as temperature-triggered smart surfaces for cells-on-chip applications. PNIPAAm-based films with controlled mechanical properties and different thicknesses (100–300 µm thickness) were prepared by injection compression moulding at room temperature. A 9 × 9 array of 20 µm diameter through-holes is machined by means of the KrF excimer laser on dry PNIPAAm films which are physically attached to flat polyvinyl chloride (PVC) substrates. Machining parameters, such as fluence and number of shots, are optimized in order to achieve highly resolved features. Micro-structured freestanding films are then easily obtained after hydrogels are detached from PVC by gradually promoting the film swelling in ethanol. In the PNIPAAm water-swollen state, the machined holes’ diameter approaches a slight larger value (30 µm) according to the measured hydrogel swelling ratio. Thermo-responsive behaviour and through-hole tapering characterization are carried out by metrology measurements using an optical inverted and confocal microscope setup, respectively. After the temperature of freestanding films is raised above 32 °C, we observe that the shrinkage of the whole through-hole array occurs, thus reducing the holes’ diameter to less than a half its original size (about 15 µm) as a consequence of the film dehydration. Different holes’ diameters (10 and 30 µm) are also obtained on dry hydrogel employing suitable projection masks, showing similar shrinking behaviour when hydrated and undergone thermo-response tests. Thermo-responsive PNIPAAm-based freestanding layers could then be integrated with other suitable micro-fabricated thermoplastic components in order to preliminary test their feasibility in operating as temperature

  19. Shape-Morphing Materials from Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogel Hybrids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeon, Seog-Jin; Hauser, Adam W; Hayward, Ryan C

    2017-02-21

    and even reprogrammable shape-morphing materials. We focus to a large extent on photothermally reprogrammable systems that include one of a variety of additives that serve to efficiently absorb light and convert it into heat, thereby driving the response of a temperature-sensitive hydrogel. Such systems are advantageous in that patterns of light can be defined with very high spatial and temporal resolution in addition to offering the potential for wavelength-selective addressability of multiple different inclusions. We highlight recent advances in the preparation of light-responsive hybrid systems capable of undergoing reprogrammable bending and buckling into well-defined 3D shapes. In addition, we describe several examples where shape tuning of hybrid systems enables control over the motion of responsive hydrogel-based materials. Finally, we offer our perspective on open challenges and future areas of interest for the field.

  20. Self-assembly of the hydrogel polymer chain consisting of chitosan and chondroitin sulphate in the presence of theophylline;Propriedades de higrogeis constituidos de quitosana e sulfato decondroitina na presenca de teofilina intumescidos em diferentes pHs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lopes, Lais C.; Piai, Juliana F.; Fajardo, Andre R.; Rubira, Adley F.; Muniz, Edvani C., E-mail: ecmuniz@uem.b [Universidade Estadual de Maringa (GMPC/UEM), PR (Brazil). Grupo de Materiais Polimericos e Compositos

    2009-07-01

    In this work, polyelectronic complex (PEC) consisting of two polysaccharides were developed. One is chitosan (QT), cationic polymer, produced by the chitin deacetylation and the other is chondroitin sulphate (CS), anionic polymer, extracted from bovine or porcine aorta. The PECs were prepared in the presence of theophylline (TEO) for evaluating the influence of this drug in the polymer chains reorganization, as well as, studying the mechanical properties and release of SC and TEO in aqueous solutions on different pH conditions. By the obtained results, it was observed that the 84QT/15SC/TEO (% in weight) hydrogel is pH responsive because the CS releasing is more effective at pH 8, while the release of the TEO is higher at pH 2. The hydrogel showed mechanical properties more resistant to pH 2, 8 and 10 and this was attributed to interactions between the polymer chains. Finally, the X-rays profile showed the presence of peaks associated to reorganization of the chains in the hydrogel is at times larger than the hydrogel in the absence of solute. (author)

  1. Design, Optimization, and Evaluation of a Novel Metronidazole-Loaded Gastro-Retentive pH-Sensitive Hydrogel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Mahrouk, Galal M; Aboul-Einien, Mona H; Makhlouf, Amal I

    2016-12-01

    Floating pH-sensitive chitosan hydrogels containing metronidazole were developed for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori from the stomach. Hydrogels were prepared by crosslinking medium or high molecular weight chitosan in lyophilized solutions containing metronidazole using either citrate or tripolyphosphate (TPP) salts at 1% or 2% concentration. A 2 3 factorial design was developed to study the influence of formulation parameters on the physical characteristics of the prepared hydrogels. The interaction between hydrogel components was investigated. The morphology of the prepared hydrogels was inspected and their percentage swelling, release pattern, and moisture content were evaluated. The results revealed the absence of interaction between hydrogel components and their highly porous structure. Percentage swelling of the hydrogels was much higher, and drug release was faster in gastric pH compared with intestinal pH. The formula prepared using 2% high molecular weight chitosan and 2% TPP significantly swelled (700%) within the first 4 h and released the loaded drug over a period of 24 h. Its moisture content was not affected by storage at high relative humidity. Therefore, this formula was selected to be tested in dogs for its gastric retention (using X-ray radiography) and efficacy in the eradication of H. pylori (using histopathological and microbiological examination). The results revealed that the prepared hydrogel formula was retained in dog stomach for at least 48 h, and it was more effective against H. pylori than the commercially available oral metronidazole tablets (Flagyl®).

  2. Mechanical Properties of Chitosan-Starch Composite Filled Hydroxyapatite Micro- and Nanopowders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jafar Ai

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Hydroxyapatite is a biocompatible ceramic and reinforcing material for bone implantations. In this study, Starch-chitosan hydrogel was produced using the oxidation of starch solution and subsequently cross-linked with chitosan via reductive alkylation method (weight ratio (starch/chitosan: 0.38. The hydroxyapatite micropowders and nanopowders synthesized by sol-gel method (10, 20, 30, 40 %W were composited to hydrogels and were investigated by mechanical analysis. The results of SEM images and Zetasizer experiments for synthesized nanopowders showed an average size of 100 nm. The nanoparticles distributed as uniform in the chitosan-starch film. The tensile modulus increased for composites containing hydroxyapatite nano-(size particle: 100 nanometer powders than composites containing micro-(size particle: 100 micrometer powders. The swelling percentage decreased for samples containing hydroxyapatite nanopowder than the micropowders. These nanocomposites could be applied for hard-tissue engineering.

  3. Chitosan-based scaffolds for the support of smooth muscle constructs in intestinal tissue engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zakhem, Elie; Raghavan, Shreya; Gilmont, Robert R; Bitar, Khalil N

    2012-01-01

    Intestinal tissue engineering is an emerging field due to a growing demand for intestinal lengthening and replacement procedures secondary to massive resections of the bowel. Here, we demonstrate the potential use of a chitosan/collagen scaffold as a 3D matrix to support the bioengineered circular muscle constructs maintain their physiological functionality. We investigated the biocompatibility of chitosan by growing rabbit colonic circular smooth muscle cells (RCSMCs) on chitosan-coated plates. The cells maintained their spindle-like morphology and preserved their smooth muscle phenotypic markers. We manufactured tubular scaffolds with central openings composed of chitosan and collagen in a 1:1 ratio. Concentrically-aligned 3D circular muscle constructs were bioengineered using fibrin-based hydrogel seeded with RCSMCs. The constructs were placed around the scaffold for 2 weeks, after which they were taken off and tested for their physiological functionality. The muscle constructs contracted in response to Acetylcholine (Ach) and potassium chloride (KCl) and they relaxed in response to vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). These results demonstrate that chitosan is a biomaterial possibly suitable for intestinal tissue engineering applications. PMID:22483012

  4. Low-Cost, Rapidly Responsive, Controllable, and Reversible Photochromic Hydrogel for Display and Storage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yongqi; Guan, Lin; Gao, Guanghui

    2018-04-25

    Traditional optoelectronic devices without stretchable performance could be limited for substrates with irregular shape. Therefore, it is urgent to explore a new generation of flexible, stretchable, and low-cost intelligent vehicles as visual display and storage devices, such as hydrogels. In the investigation, a novel photochromic hydrogel was developed by introducing the negatively charged ammonium molybdate as a photochromic unit into polyacrylamide via ionic and covalent cross-linking. The hydrogel exhibited excellent properties of low cost, easy preparation, stretchable deformation, fatigue resistance, high transparency, and second-order response to external signals. Moreover, the photochromic and fading process of hydrogels could be precisely controlled and repeated under the irradiation of UV light and exposure of oxygen at different time and temperature. The photochromic hydrogel could be considered applied for artificial intelligence system, wearable healthcare device, and flexible memory device. Therefore, the strategy for designing a soft photochromic material would open a new direction to manufacture flexible and stretchable devices.

  5. Hydrogel nanoparticles in drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamidi, Mehrdad; Azadi, Amir; Rafiei, Pedram

    2008-12-14

    Hydrogel nanoparticles have gained considerable attention in recent years as one of the most promising nanoparticulate drug delivery systems owing to their unique potentials via combining the characteristics of a hydrogel system (e.g., hydrophilicity and extremely high water content) with a nanoparticle (e.g., very small size). Several polymeric hydrogel nanoparticulate systems have been prepared and characterized in recent years, based on both natural and synthetic polymers, each with its own advantages and drawbacks. Among the natural polymers, chitosan and alginate have been studied extensively for preparation of hydrogel nanoparticles and from synthetic group, hydrogel nanoparticles based on poly (vinyl alcohol), poly (ethylene oxide), poly (ethyleneimine), poly (vinyl pyrrolidone), and poly-N-isopropylacrylamide have been reported with different characteristics and features with respect to drug delivery. Regardless of the type of polymer used, the release mechanism of the loaded agent from hydrogel nanoparticles is complex, while resulting from three main vectors, i.e., drug diffusion, hydrogel matrix swelling, and chemical reactivity of the drug/matrix. Several crosslinking methods have been used in the way to form the hydrogel matix structures, which can be classified in two major groups of chemically- and physically-induced crosslinking.

  6. Chitosan fibers with improved biological and mechanical properties for tissue engineering applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albanna, Mohammad Z; Bou-Akl, Therese H; Blowytsky, Oksana; Walters, Henry L; Matthew, Howard W T

    2013-04-01

    The low mechanical properties of hydrogel materials such as chitosan hinder their broad utility for tissue engineering applications. Previous research efforts improved the mechanical properties of chitosan fiber through chemical and physical modifications; however, unfavorable toxicity effects on cells were reported. In this paper, we report the preparation of chitosan fibers with improved mechanical and biocompatibility properties. The structure-property relationships of extruded chitosan fibers were explored by varying acetic acid (AA) concentration, ammonia concentration, annealing temperature and degree of heparin crosslinking. Results showed that optimizing AA concentration to 2vol% improved fiber strength and stiffness by 2-fold. Extruding chitosan solution into 25wt% of ammonia solution reduced fiber diameters and improved fiber strength by 2-fold and stiffness by 3-fold, due to an increase in crystallinity as confirmed by XRD. Fiber annealing further reduced fiber diameter and improved fiber strength and stiffness as temperature increased. Chitosan fibers crosslinked with heparin had increased diameter but lower strength and stiffness properties and higher breaking strain values. When individual parameters were combined, further improvement in fiber mechanical properties was achieved. All mechanically improved fibers and heparin crosslinked fibers promoted valvular interstitial cells (VIC) attachment and growth over 10 day cultures. Our results demonstrate the ability to substantially improve the mechanical properties of chitosan fibers without adversely affecting their biological properties. The investigated treatments offer numerous advantages over previous physical/chemical modifications and thus are expected to expand the utility of chitosan fibers with tunable mechanical properties in various tissue engineering applications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. A novel multi-responsive polyampholyte composite hydrogel with excellent mechanical strength and rapid shrinking rate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Kun; Tan, Ying; Chen, Qiang; An, Huiyong; Li, Wenbo; Dong, Lisong; Wang, Pixin

    2010-05-15

    Series of hydrophilic core-shell microgels with cross-linked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) as core and poly(vinyl amine) (PVAm) as shell are synthesized via surfactant-free emulsion polymerization. Then, the microgels are treated with a small amount of potassium persulfate (KPS) to generate free radicals on the amine nitrogens of PVAm, which subsequently initiate the graft copolymerization of acrylic acid (AA), acryloyloxyethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (DAC), and acrylamide (AAm) onto microgels to prepare multi-responsive composite hydrogels. The composite hydrogels consist of cross-linked ungrafted polyampholyte chains as the first network and microgels with grafted polyampholyte chains as graft point and second network and show surprising mechanical strength and rapid response rate. The investigation shows the compress strength of composite hydrogels is up to 17-30 MPa, which is 60-100 times higher than that of the hydrogel matrix. The composite hydrogel shows reversible switch of transmittance when traveling the lowest critical temperature (LCST) of microgels. When the composite hydrogel swollen in pH 2.86 solution at ambient condition is immersed into the pH 7.00 solution at 45 °C, a rapid dynamic shrinking can be observed. And the character time (τ) of shrinking dynamic of composite hydrogel is 251.9 min, which is less than that of hydrogel matrix (τ=2273.7 min). Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Influence of Ethylene Glycol Methacrylate to the Hydration and Transition Behaviors of Thermo-Responsive Interpenetrating Polymeric Network Hydrogels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bing Li

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The influence of ethylene glycol methacrylate (EGMA to the hydration and transition behaviors of thermo-responsive interpenetrating polymeric network (IPN hydrogels containing sodium alginate, N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm, and EGMA were investigated. The molar ratios of NIPAAm and EGMA were varied from 20:0 to 19.5:0.5 and 18.5:1.5 in the thermo-responsive alginate-Ca2+/P(NIPAAm-co-EGMA IPN hydrogels. Due to the more hydrophilicity and high flexibility of EGMA, the IPN hydrogels exhibited higher lower critical solution temperature (LCST and lower glass transition temperature (Tg when the ratio of EGMA increases. The swelling/deswelling kinetics of the IPN hydrogels could be controlled by adjusting the NIPAAm/EGMA molar ratio. A faster water uptake rate and a slower water loss rate could be realized by increase the amount of EGMA in the IPN hydrogel (the shrinking rate constant was decreased from 0.01207 to 0.01195 and 0.01055 with the changing of NIPAAm/EGMA ratio from 20:0, 19.5:0.5 to 18.5:1.5. By using 2-Isopropylthioxanthone (ITX as a photo initiator, the obtained alginate-Ca2+/P(NIPAAm-co-EGMA360 IPN hydrogels were successfully immobilized on cotton fabrics. The surface and cross section of the hydrogel were probed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM. They all exhibited a porous structure, and the pore size was increased with the amount of EGMA. Moreover, the LCST values of the fabric-grafted hydrogels were close to those of the pure IPN hydrogels. Their thermal sensitivity remained unchanged. The cotton fabrics grafted with hydrogel turned out to be much softer with the continuous increase of EGMA amount. Therefore, compared with alginate-Ca2+/PNIPAAm hydrogel, alginate-Ca2+/P(NIPAAm-co-EGMA360 hydrogel is a more promising candidate for wound dressing in the field of biomedical textile.

  9. Chitosan-based delivery systems for diclofenac delivery: preparation and characterization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dreve, Simina; Kacso, Irina; Bratu, Ioan; Indrea, Emil, E-mail: simina.dreve@itim-cj.r [National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 65-103 Donath, 400293 Cluj-Napoca (Romania)

    2009-08-01

    The preparation and characterization of novel materials for drug delivery has rapidly gained importance in development of innovative medicine. The paper concerns the uses of chitosan as an excipient in oral formulations and as a drug delivery vehicle for burnt painful injuries. The use of chitosan (CTS) as base in polyelectrolyte complex systems, to prepare liquid release systems as hydrogels and solid release systems as sponges is presented. In this paper the preparation of CTS hydrogels and sponges carrying diclofenac (DCF), as anti-inflammatory drug is reported. The immobilization of DCF in CTS is done by mixing the CTS hydrogel with the anti-inflammatory drug solutions. The concentration of anti-inflammatory drug in the CTS hydrogel generating the sponges was of 57 mg/l, 72 mg/l and 114 mg/l. The CTS sponges with anti-inflammatory drugs were prepared by freeze-drying at -610{sup 0}C and 0,09 atm. The characterization of the hydrogels and sponges was done by infrared spectra (FTIR) and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS). The results indicated the formation of CTS-DCF intermediates. The DCF molecules are forming temporary chelates in CTS hydrogels and sponges and they are compatible with skin or some of biological fluids with satisfactory results.

  10. Chitosan-based delivery systems for diclofenac delivery: preparation and characterization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dreve, Simina; Kacso, Irina; Bratu, Ioan; Indrea, Emil

    2009-01-01

    The preparation and characterization of novel materials for drug delivery has rapidly gained importance in development of innovative medicine. The paper concerns the uses of chitosan as an excipient in oral formulations and as a drug delivery vehicle for burnt painful injuries. The use of chitosan (CTS) as base in polyelectrolyte complex systems, to prepare liquid release systems as hydrogels and solid release systems as sponges is presented. In this paper the preparation of CTS hydrogels and sponges carrying diclofenac (DCF), as anti-inflammatory drug is reported. The immobilization of DCF in CTS is done by mixing the CTS hydrogel with the anti-inflammatory drug solutions. The concentration of anti-inflammatory drug in the CTS hydrogel generating the sponges was of 57 mg/l, 72 mg/l and 114 mg/l. The CTS sponges with anti-inflammatory drugs were prepared by freeze-drying at -610 0 C and 0,09 atm. The characterization of the hydrogels and sponges was done by infrared spectra (FTIR) and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS). The results indicated the formation of CTS-DCF intermediates. The DCF molecules are forming temporary chelates in CTS hydrogels and sponges and they are compatible with skin or some of biological fluids with satisfactory results.

  11. Synthesis and application of intelligent hydrogels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaetsu, I.; Uchida, K.; Sutani, K.; Nakayama, H.; Tamori, A.

    2000-01-01

    The authors have studied synthesis and application of stimule-sensitive and responsive hydrogels. In this report, two kinds of investigations were carried out on the intelligent hydrogels and the applications with radiation techniques. 1. Synthesis of temperature responsive sol-gel transition polymer and the application to drug delivery systems. Polysopropyl acrylamide is a typical temperature responsive polymers and the copolymers show broad variation of LCST (sol-gel transition temperature). The various copolymers of isopropyl acrylamide were synthesized by UV or radiation. 2. Surface curing of pH and electric field responsive hydrogel and the application to drug delivery systems. Electrolyte monomers such as acrylic acid was coated on the surface of polymer membrane (porous or non-porous) including drugs, and cured by UV or radiation various enzymes were immobilized in the coating layer in many cases. The product showed pH, electro-field and substrate responsive releases of model drug under on-off switching of environmental conditions. (J.P.N.)

  12. Synthesis and application of intelligent hydrogels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaetsu, I.; Uchida, K.; Sutani, K.; Nakayama, H.; Tamori, A. [Kinki Univ., Higashi-Osaka, Osaka (Japan). Faculty of Science and Technology

    2000-03-01

    The authors have studied synthesis and application of stimule-sensitive and responsive hydrogels. In this report, two kinds of investigations were carried out on the intelligent hydrogels and the applications with radiation techniques. 1. Synthesis of temperature responsive sol-gel transition polymer and the application to drug delivery systems. Polysopropyl acrylamide is a typical temperature responsive polymers and the copolymers show broad variation of LCST (sol-gel transition temperature). The various copolymers of isopropyl acrylamide were synthesized by UV or radiation. 2. Surface curing of pH and electric field responsive hydrogel and the application to drug delivery systems. Electrolyte monomers such as acrylic acid was coated on the surface of polymer membrane (porous or non-porous) including drugs, and cured by UV or radiation various enzymes were immobilized in the coating layer in many cases. The product showed pH, electro-field and substrate responsive releases of model drug under on-off switching of environmental conditions. (J.P.N.)

  13. Biochemical properties of Hemigraphis alternata incorporated chitosan hydrogel scaffold.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Annapoorna, M; Sudheesh Kumar, P T; Lakshman, Lakshmi R; Lakshmanan, Vinoth-Kumar; Nair, Shantikumar V; Jayakumar, R

    2013-02-15

    In this work, Hemigraphis alternata extract incorporated chitosan scaffold was synthesized and characterized for wound healing. The antibacterial activity of Hemigraphis incorporated chitosan scaffold (HIC) against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was evaluated which showed a reduction in total colony forming units by 45-folds toward E. coli and 25-fold against S. aureus respectively. Cell viability studies using Human Dermal Fibroblast cells (HDF) showed 90% viability even at 48 h when compared to the chitosan control. The herbal scaffold made from chitosan was highly haemostatic and antibacterial. The obtained results were in support that the herbal scaffold can be effectively applied for infectious wounds. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Viscoelastic response of hydrogel materials at finite strains

    OpenAIRE

    Skovly, Martin Johannessen

    2015-01-01

    Hydrogel materials are very soft materials consisting of polymer networks and solvent molecules. The materials may exhibit large volume changes depending on its external chemical and mechanical environment and have viscoelastic properties which is common for many polymeric materials. In order to model the material response with the finite element method, a hydrogel constitutive model have been combined with finite viscoelastic theory and the resulting viscoelastic hydrogel constitutive model ...

  15. A novel multiphysic model for simulation of swelling equilibrium of ionized thermal-stimulus responsive hydrogels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hua; Wang, Xiaogui; Yan, Guoping; Lam, K. Y.; Cheng, Sixue; Zou, Tao; Zhuo, Renxi

    2005-03-01

    In this paper, a novel multiphysic mathematical model is developed for simulation of swelling equilibrium of ionized temperature sensitive hydrogels with the volume phase transition, and it is termed the multi-effect-coupling thermal-stimulus (MECtherm) model. This model consists of the steady-state Nernst-Planck equation, Poisson equation and swelling equilibrium governing equation based on the Flory's mean field theory, in which two types of polymer-solvent interaction parameters, as the functions of temperature and polymer-network volume fraction, are specified with or without consideration of the hydrogen bond interaction. In order to examine the MECtherm model consisting of nonlinear partial differential equations, a meshless Hermite-Cloud method is used for numerical solution of one-dimensional swelling equilibrium of thermal-stimulus responsive hydrogels immersed in a bathing solution. The computed results are in very good agreements with experimental data for the variation of volume swelling ratio with temperature. The influences of the salt concentration and initial fixed-charge density are discussed in detail on the variations of volume swelling ratio of hydrogels, mobile ion concentrations and electric potential of both interior hydrogels and exterior bathing solution.

  16. Modeling programmable deformation of self-folding all-polymer structures with temperature-sensitive hydrogels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo, Wei; Zhou, Jinxiong; Li, Meie

    2013-01-01

    Combination of soft active hydrogels with hard passive polymers gives rise to all-polymer composites. The hydrogel is sensitive to external stimuli while the passive polymer is inert. Utilizing the different behaviors of two materials subject to environmental variation, for example temperature, results in self-folding soft machines. We report our efforts to model the programmable deformation of self-folding structures with temperature-sensitive hydrogels. The self-folding structures are realized either by constructing a bilayer structure or by incorporating hydrogels as hinges. The methodology and the results may aid the design, control and fabrication of 3D complex structures from 2D simple configurations through self-assembly. (paper)

  17. The impact of calcium carbonate as pore forming agent and drug entrapment method towards drug dissolution mechanism of amoxicillin trihydrate encapsulated by chitosan-methyl cellulose semi-IPN hydrogel for floating drug delivery system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dewantara, Fauzi; Budianto, Emil

    2018-04-01

    Chitosan-methyl cellulose semi-IPN hydrogel is used as floating drug delivery system, and calcium carbonate also added as pore forming agent. The hydrogel network arranged by not only using biopolymer chitosan and methyl cellulose, but also the crosslink agent that is glutaraldehyde. Amoxicillin trihydrate entrapped into the polymer network with two different method, in situ loading and post loading. Furthermore both method has been tested for drug entrapment efficiency along with drug dissolution test, and the result for drug entrapment efficiency is in situ loading method has highest value of 100%, compared to post loading method which has value only 71%. Moreover, at the final time of drug dissolution test shows in situ loading method has value of 96% for total accumulative of drug dissolution, meanwhile post loading method has 72%. The value of drug dissolution test from both method is used for analyzing drug dissolution mechanism of amoxicillin trihydrate from hydrogel network with four mathematical drug mechanism models as parameter. The polymer network encounter destructive degradation causes by acid solution which used as dissolution medium, and the level of degradation is observed with optical microscope. However the result shows that degradation of the polymer network doesn't affect drug dissolution mechanism directly. Although the pore forming agent causes the pore inside the hydrogel network create interconnection and it was quite influential to drug dissolution mechanism. Interconnected pore is observed with Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and shows that the amount and area of interconnected pore inside the hydrogel network is increasing as drug dissolution goes on.

  18. Synthesis of multifunctional clustered nano-Fe3O4 chitosan nanocomposite for biomedical applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villamin, Maria Emma; Kitamoto, Yoshitaka

    2018-01-01

    Clustered iron oxide nanoparticles covered with chitosan hydrogel (FeOx/Ch NC) have multiple potential functionalities in biomedical applications such as pH-controlled drug release, magnetic hyperthermia, and magnetic non-contact pH sensing. In the present study, the synthesis and characterization of FeOx/Ch NC are demonstrated. Moreover, the heating capability of the nanocomposites is also explored for the potential magnetic hyperthermia application by measuring the temperature curves under different AC frequencies (900 kHz to 2500 kHz). Monodispersed FeOx NPs are first synthesized via thermal decomposition. Then, dried FeOx NPs are combined with chitosan using a homogenizer to form the clustered composites. Synthesized composites are then characterized using XRD, TEM, and FTIR. Temperature curves are measured via a custom-built hyperthermia setup. Results show successful synthesis of clustered Fe3O4-chitosan nanocomposite with XRD peaks corresponding to magnetite (Fe3O4) structure. FTIR results show the presence of functional groups of chitosan (N-H, C-O) and FeOx NPs (Fe-O). These confirms the successful fabrication of FeOx/Ch NC. The temperature curves show maximum temperature changes of about 2°C to 22°C depending on the AC frequency. The heating rate is found to increase with the frequency, which suggests that the resonance frequency is higher than 2500 kHz.

  19. Artificial phototropism based on a photo-thermo-responsive hydrogel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gopalakrishna, Hamsini

    Solar energy is leading in renewable energy sources and the aspects surrounding the efforts to harvest light are gaining importance. One such aspect is increasing the light absorption, where heliotropism comes into play. Heliotropism, the ability to track the sun across the sky, can be integrated with solar cells for more efficient photon collection and other optoelectronic systems. Inspired by plants, which optimize incident sunlight in nature, several researchers have made artificial heliotropic and phototropic systems. This project aims to design, synthesize and characterize a material system and evaluate its application in a phototropic system. A gold nanoparticle (Au NP) incorporated poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) hydrogel was synthesized as a photo-thermo-responsive material in our phototropic system. The Au NPs generate heat from the incident via plasmonic resonance to induce a volume phase change of the thermo-responsive hydrogel PNIPAAm. PNIPAAm shrinks or swells at temperature above or below 32°C. Upon irradiation, the Au NP-PNIPAAm micropillar actuates, specifically bending toward the incident light and precisely following the varying incident angle. Swelling ratio tests, bending angle tests with a static incident light and bending tests with varying angles were carried out on hydrogel samples with varying Au NP concentrations. Swelling ratios ranging from 1.45 to 2.9 were recorded for pure hydrogel samples and samples with very low Au NP concentrations. Swelling ratios of 2.41 and 3.37 were calculated for samples with low and high concentrations of Au NPs, respectively. A bending of up to 88° was observed in Au NP-hydrogel pillars with a low Au NP concentration with a 90° incident angle. The light tracking performance was assessed by the slope of the pillar Bending angle (response angle) vs. Incident light angle plot. A slope of 1 indicates ideal tracking with top of the pillar being normal to the incident light, maximizing the photon

  20. Enhanced adsorption of methyl violet and congo red by using semi and full IPN of polymethacrylic acid and chitosan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maity, Jayabrata; Ray, Samit Kumar

    2014-04-15

    Semi and full interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) type hydrogels were prepared by free radical in situ polymerization of methacrylic acid in presence of chitosan using N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBA) and glutaraldehyde (for full IPN) as crosslinker. Several semi and full IPN type hydrogels were prepared by varying initiator and crosslinker concentration and also monomer to chitosan mass ratio. These hydrogels were characterized and used for removal of methyl violet and congo red dye from water. Isotherms and kinetics of dye adsorption were also evaluated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Dextran-based hydrogel containing chitosan microparticles loaded with growth factors to be used in wound healing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ribeiro, M.P.; Morgado, P.I.; Miguel, S.P.; Coutinho, P.; Correia, I.J.

    2013-01-01

    Skin injuries are traumatic events, which are seldom accompanied by complete structural and functional restoration of the original tissue. Different strategies have been developed in order to make the wound healing process faster and less painful. In the present study in vitro and in vivo assays were carried out to evaluate the applicability of a dextran hydrogel loaded with chitosan microparticles containing epidermal and vascular endothelial growth factors, for the improvement of the wound healing process. The carriers' morphology was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Their cytotoxicity profile and degradation by-products were evaluated through in vitro assays. In vivo experiments were also performed to evaluate their applicability for the treatment of skin burns. The wound healing process was monitored through macroscopic and histological analysis. The macroscopic analysis showed that the period for wound healing occurs in animals treated with microparticle loaded hydrogels containing growth factors that were considerably smaller than that of control groups. Moreover, the histological analysis revealed the absence of reactive or granulomatous inflammatory reaction in skin lesions. The results obtained both in vitro and in vivo disclosed that these systems and its degradation by-products are biocompatible, contributed to the re-establishment of skin architecture and can be used in a near future for the controlled delivery of other bioactive agents used in regenerative medicine. - Highlights: • Evaluation of a hydrogel loaded with microparticles containing growth factors for wound healing • In vitro and in vivo assays were performed to characterize the properties of the skin substitute. • The monitoring of the wound healing process was done by macroscopic and histological analysis

  2. Dextran-based hydrogel containing chitosan microparticles loaded with growth factors to be used in wound healing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ribeiro, M.P. [CICS-UBI, Health Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã (Portugal); UDI-IPG, Research Unit for Inland Development, Polytechnic Institute of Guarda, Guarda (Portugal); Morgado, P.I.; Miguel, S.P. [CICS-UBI, Health Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã (Portugal); Coutinho, P. [CICS-UBI, Health Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã (Portugal); UDI-IPG, Research Unit for Inland Development, Polytechnic Institute of Guarda, Guarda (Portugal); Correia, I.J., E-mail: icorreia@ubi.pt [CICS-UBI, Health Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã (Portugal)

    2013-07-01

    Skin injuries are traumatic events, which are seldom accompanied by complete structural and functional restoration of the original tissue. Different strategies have been developed in order to make the wound healing process faster and less painful. In the present study in vitro and in vivo assays were carried out to evaluate the applicability of a dextran hydrogel loaded with chitosan microparticles containing epidermal and vascular endothelial growth factors, for the improvement of the wound healing process. The carriers' morphology was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Their cytotoxicity profile and degradation by-products were evaluated through in vitro assays. In vivo experiments were also performed to evaluate their applicability for the treatment of skin burns. The wound healing process was monitored through macroscopic and histological analysis. The macroscopic analysis showed that the period for wound healing occurs in animals treated with microparticle loaded hydrogels containing growth factors that were considerably smaller than that of control groups. Moreover, the histological analysis revealed the absence of reactive or granulomatous inflammatory reaction in skin lesions. The results obtained both in vitro and in vivo disclosed that these systems and its degradation by-products are biocompatible, contributed to the re-establishment of skin architecture and can be used in a near future for the controlled delivery of other bioactive agents used in regenerative medicine. - Highlights: • Evaluation of a hydrogel loaded with microparticles containing growth factors for wound healing • In vitro and in vivo assays were performed to characterize the properties of the skin substitute. • The monitoring of the wound healing process was done by macroscopic and histological analysis.

  3. Highly Response and Sensitivity Chitosan-Polyvinyl alcohol Based Hexanal Sensors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abd Wahab Nur Zuraihan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This work is to study the sensing properties of chitosanpolyvinyl alcohol film sensors upon hexanal gas exposure using vapour sensing technique. The sensor fabrication process was done using electrochemical deposition method by deposit the sensing materials on the gold patterned electrode with chitosan/PVA. The response value of chitosan-PVA film sensors towards hexanal was taken as an output voltage using electrical testing method. In this study, 1.75% of chitosan with 5% of PVA were mixed with the ratio of (95:5 was tested upon exposure to hexanal gas. The concentration of the hexanal was varied as 10 ppm, 20 ppm, 30 ppm. It was found that the chitosan-PVA film sensors showed fast response, stable, good stability, good recovery, repeatable and good sensitivity towards hexanal exposure. The morphology of the pure chitosan and chitosan-PVA was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM and the interaction between chitosan and PVA was examined by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR. The FTIR results indicate the changes in characteristics of the spectral peaks due to the formation of the intermolecular bonds between chitosan and PVA. The SEM morphology of the composites showed flat smooth surface that be a sign of uniform distribution of chitosan and PVA mixture throughout the films.

  4. Chitosan–Cellulose Multifunctional Hydrogel Beads: Design, Characterization and Evaluation of Cytocompatibility with Breast Adenocarcinoma and Osteoblast Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trivedi, Poonam; Saloranta-Simell, Tiina; Gradišnik, Lidija; Prabhakar, Neeraj; Smått, Jan-Henrik; Mohan, Tamilselvan; Gericke, Martin; Heinze, Thomas

    2018-01-01

    Cytocompatible polysaccharide-based functional scaffolds are potential extracellular matrix candidates for soft and hard tissue engineering. This paper describes a facile approach to design cytocompatible, non-toxic, and multifunctional chitosan-cellulose based hydrogel beads utilising polysaccharide dissolution in sodium hydroxide-urea-water solvent system and coagulation under three different acidic conditions, namely 2 M acetic acid, 2 M hydrochloric acid, and 2 M sulfuric acid. The effect of coagulating medium on the final chemical composition of the hydrogel beads is investigated by spectroscopic techniques (ATR–FTIR, Raman, NMR), and elemental analysis. The beads coagulated in 2 M acetic acid displayed an unchanged chitosan composition with free amino groups, while the beads coagulated in 2 M hydrochloric and sulfuric acid showed protonation of amino groups and ionic interaction with the counterions. The ultrastructural morphological study of lyophilized beads showed that increased chitosan content enhanced the porosity of the hydrogel beads. Furthermore, cytocompatibility evaluation of the hydrogel beads with human breast adenocarcinoma cells (soft tissue) showed that the beads coagulated in 2 M acetic acid are the most suitable for this type of cells in comparison to other coagulating systems. The acetic acid fabricated hydrogel beads also support osteoblast growth and adhesion over 192 h. Thus, in future, these hydrogel beads can be tested in the in vitro studies related to breast cancer and for bone regeneration. PMID:29315214

  5. Optimization of Chitosan Drying Temperature on The Quality and Quantity of Edible Film

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sri Wahyuni, Endah; Arifan, Fahmi

    2018-02-01

    Edible film is a thin layer (biodegradable) used to coat food and can be eaten. In addition edible film serves as a vapor transfer inhibitor, inhibits gas exchange, prevents aroma loss, prevents fat transfer, improves physical characteristics, and as an additive carrier. Edible film made of cassava starch, glycerol and chitosan. Cassava starch is used as raw material because it contains 80% starch. Glycerol serves as a plasticizer and chitosan serves to form films and membranes well. The purpose of this research is to know the characteristic test of edible film by using ANOVA analysis, where the variable of drying of the oven is temperature (70°C, 80°C, 90°C) and time for 3 hours and variables change chitosan (2 gr, 3 gr, 4 gr). The result of this research was obtained the most optimum for water content and water resistance in temperature variable 80 °C and chitosan 4 gr. The best edible films and bubbles on temperature variables are 80 °C and chitosan 4 gr.

  6. Effect of chitosan addition and gamma radiation on polymeric blends of PVP and PVAL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Terence, M.C.; Castro, P.J.; Miranda, L.F.; Faldini, S.B.

    2010-01-01

    The objective of this project is the study of the effect of chitosan addition and the radiation with gamma rays. The polymeric blend usage is a recent development that expanded the applications of the polymers, due to the improvement of the properties of a single polymer. The PVP and PVAL were chosen because they present the main required characteristics to the formation of a hydrogel, such as water absorption and crosslinking, and the chitosan to improve the interaction between the hydrogel and the organism. The flexibility of the PVP was added with the mechanical resistance of the PVAL and the chitosan biocompatibility. With a defined concentration of PVP and PVAL, films of this blend was irradiated and also solutions with different concentrations of chitosan was prepared to obtain new films of this blend. After obtaining the films, some assays were realized to evaluate the mechanical properties. (author)

  7. Development of a multiphysics model to characterize the responsive behavior of urea-sensitive hydrogel as biosensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goh, K B; Li, Hua; Lam, K Y

    2017-05-15

    A remarkable feature of biomaterials is their ability to deform in response to certain external bio-stimuli. Here, a novel biochemo-electro-mechanical model is developed for the numerical characterization of the urea-sensitive hydrogel in response to the external stimulus of urea. The urea sensitivity of the hydrogel is usually characterized by the states of ionization and denaturation of the immobilized urease, as such the model includes the effect of the fixed charge groups and temperature coupled with pH on the activity of the urease. Therefore, a novel rate of reaction equation is proposed to characterize the hydrolysis of urea that accounts for both the ionization and denaturation states of the urease subject to the environmental conditions. After examination with the published experimental data, it is thus confirmed that the model can characterize well the responsive behavior of the urea-sensitive hydrogel subject to the urea stimulus, including the distribution patterns of the electrical potential and pH of the hydrogel. The results point to an innovative means for generating electrical power via the enzyme-induced pH and electrical potential gradients, when the hydrogel comes in contact with the urea-rich solution, such as human urine. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Design of protein-responsive micro-sized hydrogels for self-regulating microfluidic systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirayama, Mayu; Tsuruta, Kazuhiro; Kawamura, Akifumi; Ohara, Masayuki; Shoji, Kan; Kawano, Ryuji; Miyata, Takashi

    2018-03-01

    Diagnosis sensors using micro-total analysis systems (µ-TAS) have been developed for detecting target biomolecules such as proteins and saccharides because they are signal biomolecules for monitoring body conditions and diseases. In this study, biomolecularly stimuli-responsive micro-sized hydrogels that exhibited quick shrinkage in response to lectin concanavalinA (ConA) were prepared in a microchannel by photopolymerization using a fluorescence microscope. In preparing the micro-size hydrogels, glycosyloxyethyl methacrylate (GEMA) as a ligand monomer was copolymerized with a crosslinker in the presence of template ConA in molecular imprinting. The ConA-imprinted micro-hydrogel showed greater shrinkage in response to target ConA than nonimprinted micro-hydrogel. When a buffer solution was switched to an aqueous ConA solution in the Y-shaped microchannel, the flow rates changed quickly because of the responsive shrinkage of the micro-hydrogel prepared in the microchannel. These results suggest that the ConA-imprinted micro-hydrogel acted as a self-regulated microvalve in microfluidic systems.

  9. Self-Healing and Thermo-Responsive Dual-Crosslinked Alginate Hydrogels based on Supramolecular Inclusion Complexes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miao, Tianxin; Fenn, Spencer L.; Charron, Patrick N.; Oldinski, Rachael A.

    2015-01-01

    β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), with a lipophilic inner cavity and hydrophilic outer surface, interacts with a large variety of non-polar guest molecules to form non-covalent inclusion complexes. Conjugation of β-CD onto biomacromolecules can form physically-crosslinked hydrogel networks upon mixing with a guest molecule. Herein describes the development and characterization of self-healing, thermo-responsive hydrogels, based on host-guest inclusion complexes between alginate-graft-β-CD and Pluronic® F108 (poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(propylene glycol)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)). The mechanics, flow characteristics, and thermal response were contingent on the polymer concentrations, and the host-guest molar ratio. Transient and reversible physical crosslinking between host and guest polymers governed self-assembly, allowing flow under shear stress, and facilitating complete recovery of the material properties within a few seconds of unloading. The mechanical properties of the dual-crosslinked, multi-stimuli responsive hydrogels were tuned as high as 30 kPa at body temperature, and are advantageous for biomedical applications such as drug delivery and cell transplantation. PMID:26509214

  10. Chitosan hydrogel beads impregnated with hexadecylamine for improved reactive blue 4 adsorption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vakili, Mohammadtaghi; Rafatullah, Mohd; Ibrahim, Mahamad Hakimi; Abdullah, Ahmad Zuhairi; Salamatinia, Babak; Gholami, Zahra

    2016-02-10

    Adsorption performance of chitosan (CS) hydrogel beads was investigated after impregnation of CS with hexadecylamine (HDA) as a cationic surfactant, for the elimination of reactive blue 4 (RB4) from wastewater. The CS/HDA beads formed with 3.8% HDA were the most effective adsorbent. The adsorption capacity was increased by 1.43 times from 317 mg/g (CS) to 454 mg/g (CS/HDA). The RB4 removal increased with decrease in the pH of dye solution from 4 to 9. The isotherm data obtained from RB4 adsorption on CS and CS/HDA are adequately described by Freundlich model (R(2)=0.946 and 0.934, χ(2)=22.414 and 64.761). The kinetic study revealed that the pseudo-second-order rate model (R(2)=0.996 and 0.997) was in better agreement with the experimental data. The negative values of ΔG° (-2.28 and -6.30 kJ/mol) and ΔH° (-172.18 and -101.62 kJ/mol) for CS beads and HDA modified CS beads, respectively; suggested a spontaneous and exothermic process for RB4 adsorption. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. PENGGUNAAN RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY UNTUK OPTIMASI PROSES DEKAFEINASI MENGGUNAKAN KITOSAN DARI KULIT UDANG [The Use of Response Surface Methodology in Decaffeination Process with Chitosan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suhardi 1

    2002-04-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the present study was to determine the optimum condition of decaffeination process with chitosan in a model system using Response Surface Methodology. A 1000ppm caffeine solution was mixed with chitosan in varried concentrations, temperatures and process times. After filtration, caffeine in the filtrate was determined. The lower caffeine in the filtrate the more effective the decaffeination process. Result of the experiment showed that among chitosan concentrations of 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100 mg per 100 ml caffeine solution, the concentration of 70mg was the most effective. Among temperatures applied of 28, 40, 60, 80, 90, and 100oC, the most effective was of 90oC. And among the process times of 15, 30, 60, and 90 minutes, 15 minutes was the most effective. Result of optimatization using RSM showed that the optimum condition of decaffeination process were concentration of chitosan of 69,52mg, temperature of 89,71oC, and process time of 14,88 minutes. Under this condition the process diminished 79,56% of caffeine from the model system.

  12. Multifunctional magnetic-responsive hydrogels to engineer tendon-to-bone interface.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Elsa D; Babo, Pedro S; Costa-Almeida, Raquel; Domingues, Rui M A; Mendes, Bárbara B; Paz, Elvira; Freitas, Paulo; Rodrigues, Márcia T; Granja, Pedro L; Gomes, Manuela E

    2017-06-11

    Photocrosslinkable magnetic hydrogels are attracting great interest for tissue engineering strategies due to their versatility and multifunctionality, including their remote controllability ex vivo, thus enabling engineering complex tissue interfaces. This study reports the development of a photocrosslinkable magnetic responsive hydrogel made of methacrylated chondroitin sulfate (MA-CS) enriched with platelet lysate (PL) with tunable features, envisioning their application in tendon-to-bone interface. MA-CS coated iron-based magnetic nanoparticles were incorporated to provide magnetic responsiveness to the hydrogel. Osteogenically differentiated adipose-derived stem cells and/or tendon-derived cells were encapsulated within the hydrogel, proliferating and expressing bone- and tendon-related markers. External magnetic field (EMF) application modulated the swelling, degradation and release of PL-derived growth factors, and impacted both cell morphology and the expression and synthesis of tendon- and bone-like matrix with a more evident effect in co-cultures. Overall, the developed magnetic responsive hydrogel represents a potential cell carrier system for interfacial tissue engineering with EMF-controlled properties. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Biomimetic hydrogel loaded with silk and l-proline for tissue engineering and wound healing applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thangavel, Ponrasu; Ramachandran, Balaji; Kannan, Ramya; Muthuvijayan, Vignesh

    2017-08-01

    The aim of this article was to develop silk protein (SF) and l-proline (LP) loaded chitosan-(CS) based hydrogels via physical cross linking for tissue engineering and wound healing applications. Silk fibroin, a biodegradable and biocompatible protein, and l-proline, an important imino acid that is required for collagen synthesis, were added to chitosan to improve the wound healing properties of the hydrogel. Characterization of these hydrogels revealed that CS/SF/LP hydrogels were blended properly and LP incorporated hydrogels showed excellent thermal stability and good surface morphology. Swelling study showed the water holding efficiency of the hydrogels to provide enough moisture at the wound surface. In vitro biodegradation results demonstrated that the hydrogels had good degradation rate in PBS with lysozyme. LP loaded hydrogels showed approximately a twofold increase in antioxidant activity. In vitro cytocompatibility studies using NIH 3T3 L1 cells showed increased cell viability (p Cell adhesion on SF and LP hydrogels were observed using SEM and compared to CS hydrogel. LP incorporation showed 74-78% of wound closure compared to 35% for CS/SF and 3% for CS hydrogels at 48 h. These results suggest that incorporation of LP can significantly accelerate wound healing process compared to pure CS and SF-loaded CS hydrogels. Hence, CS/LP hydrogels could be a potential wound dressing material for the enhanced wound tissue regeneration and repair. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 1401-1408, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Tunable thermo-responsive hydrogels: synthesis, structural analysis and drug release studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cirillo, Giuseppe; Spataro, Tania; Curcio, Manuela; Spizzirri, U Gianfranco; Nicoletta, Fiore Pasquale; Picci, Nevio; Iemma, Francesca

    2015-03-01

    Thermo-responsive hydrogel films, synthesized by UV-initiated radical polymerization, are proposed as delivery devices for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Diclofenac sodium and Naproxen). N-isopropylacrylamide and N,N'-ethylenebisacrylamide were chosen as thermo-sensitive monomer and crosslinker, respectively. Infrared spectroscopy was used to assess the incorporation of monomers into the network, and the network density of hydrogel films was found to strictly depend on both feed composition and film thickness. Calorimetric analyses showed negative thermo-responsive behaviour with shrinking/swelling transition values in the range 32.8-36.1°C. Equilibrium swelling studies around the LCST allowed the correlation between the structural changes and the temperature variations. The mesh size, indeed, rapidly changed from a collapsed to a swollen state, with beneficial effects in applications such as size-selective permeation or controlled drug delivery, while the crosslinking degree, the film thickness, and the loading method deeply influenced the drug release profiles at 25 and 40°C. The analysis of both 3D-network structure, release kinetics and diffusional constraints at different temperatures was evaluated by mathematical modelling. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Electrodeposition to construct free-standing chitosan/layered double hydroxides hydro-membrane for electrically triggered protein release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Pengkun; Zhao, Yanan; Xiao, Ling; Deng, Hongbing; Du, Yumin; Chen, Yun; Shi, Xiaowen

    2017-10-01

    In this study, we report the electrodeposition of a chitosan/layered double hydroxides (LDHs) hydro-membrane for protein release triggered by an electrical signal. The electrodeposition was performed in a chitosan and insulin loaded LDHs suspension in the absence of salt. A free-standing chitosan/LDHs hydro-membrane was generated on the electrode with improved mechanical properties, which is dramatically different from the weak hydrogel deposited in the presence of salt. The amount of LDHs in the hydro-membrane affects the optical transmittance and multilayered structure of the hybrid membrane. Compared to the weak chitosan/LDHs hydrogel, the hydro-membrane has a higher insulin loading capacity and the release of insulin is relatively slow. By biasing electrical potentials to the hydro-membrane, the release behavior of insulin can be adjusted accordingly. In addition, the chitosan/LDHs hydro-membrane showed no toxicity to cells. Our results provide a facile method to construct a chitosan/LDHs hybrid multilayered hydro-membrane and suggest the great potential of the hydro-membrane in controlled protein release. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Temperature-responsive nanogel multilayers of poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) for topical drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zavgorodnya, Oleksandra; Carmona-Moran, Carlos A; Kozlovskaya, Veronika; Liu, Fei; Wick, Timothy M; Kharlampieva, Eugenia

    2017-11-15

    We report nanothin temperature-responsive hydrogel films of poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) nanoparticles (νPVCL) with remarkably high loading capacity for topical drug delivery. Highly swollen (νPVCL) n multilayer hydrogels, where n denotes the number of nanoparticle layers, are produced by layer-by-layer hydrogen-bonded assembly of core-shell PVCL-co-acrylic acid nanoparticles with linear PVPON followed by cross-linking of the acrylic acid shell with either ethylene diamine (EDA) or adipic acid dihydrazide (AAD). We demonstrate that a (νPVCL) 5 film undergoes dramatic and reversible swelling up to 9 times its dry thickness at pH = 7.5, indicating 89v/v % of water inside the network. These hydrogels exhibit highly reversible ∼3-fold thickness changes with temperature variations from 25 to 50°C at pH = 5, the average pH of human skin. We also show that a (νPVCL) 30 hydrogel loaded with ∼120µgcm -2 sodium diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used for osteoarthritis pain management, provides sustained permeation of this drug through an artificial skin membrane for up to 24h at 32°C (the average human skin surface temperature). The cumulative amount of diclofenac transported at 32°C from the (νPVCL) 30 hydrogel after 24h is 12 times higher than that from the (νPVCL) 30 hydrogel at 22°C. Finally, we demonstrate that the (νPVCL) hydrogels can be used for multiple drug delivery by inclusion of Nile red, fluorescein and DAPI dyes within the νPVCL nanoparticles prior to hydrogel assembly. Using confocal microscopy we observed the presence of separate dye-loaded νPVCL compartments within the hydrogel matrix with all three dyes confined to the nanogel particles without intermixing between the dyes. Our study provides opportunity for development of temperature-responsive multilayer hydrogel coatings made via the assembly of core-shell nanogel particles which can be used for skin-sensitive materials for topical drug delivery. Copyright © 2017

  17. The effect of glutathione as chain transfer agent in PNIPAAm-based thermo-responsive hydrogels for controlled release of proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drapala, Pawel W; Jiang, Bin; Chiu, Yu-Chieh; Mieler, William F; Brey, Eric M; Kang-Mieler, Jennifer J; Pérez-Luna, Victor H

    2014-03-01

    To control degradation and protein release using thermo-responsive hydrogels for localized delivery of anti-angiogenic proteins. Thermo-responsive hydrogels derived from N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and crosslinked with poly(ethylene glycol)-co-(L-lactic acid) diacrylate (Acry-PLLA-b-PEG-b-PLLA-Acry) were synthesized via free radical polymerization in the presence of glutathione, a chain transfer agent (CTA) added to modulate their degradation and release properties. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and the recombinant proteins Avastin® and Lucentis® were encapsulated in these hydrogels and their release was studied. The encapsulation efficiency of IgG was high (75-87%) and decreased with CTA concentration. The transition temperature of these hydrogels was below physiological temperature, which is important for minimally invasive therapies involving these materials. The toxicity from unreacted monomers and free radical initiators was eliminated with a minimum of three buffer extractions. Addition of CTA accelerated degradation and resulted in complete protein release. Glutathione caused the degradation products to become solubilized even at 37°C. Hydrogels prepared without glutathione did not disintegrate nor released protein completely after 3 weeks at 37°C. PEGylation of IgG postponed the burst release effect. Avastin® and Lucentis® released from degraded hydrogels retained their biological activity. These systems offer a promising platform for the localized delivery of proteins.

  18. Growth modulation of fibroblasts by chitosan-polyvinyl pyrrolidone ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    elicit inflammatory reactions which severely limit their use. (Ekholm et al 1999). ... modulation by a chitosan-PVP hydrogel, and suggest that the phenomenon may prove to be of ... All other chemicals or reagents used were of analytical grade.

  19. Facile synthesis of degradable and electrically conductive polysaccharide hydrogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Baolin; Finne-Wistrand, Anna; Albertsson, Ann-Christine

    2011-07-11

    Degradable and electrically conductive polysaccharide hydrogels (DECPHs) have been synthesized by functionalizing polysaccharide with conductive aniline oligomers. DECPHs based on chitosan (CS), aniline tetramer (AT), and glutaraldehyde were obtained by a facile one-pot reaction by using the amine group of CS and AT under mild conditions, which avoids the multistep reactions and tedious purification involved in the synthesis of degradable conductive hydrogels in our previous work. Interestingly, these one-pot hydrogels possess good film-forming properties, electrical conductivity, and a pH-sensitive swelling behavior. The chemical structure and morphology before and after swelling of the hydrogels were verified by FT-IR, NMR, and SEM. The conductivity of the hydrogels was tuned by adjusting the content of AT. The swelling ratio of the hydrogels was altered by the content of tetraaniline and cross-linker. The hydrogels underwent slow degradation in a buffer solution. The hydrogels obtained by this facile approach provide new possibilities in biomedical applications, for example, biodegradable conductive hydrogels, films, and scaffolds for cardiovascular tissue engineering and controlled drug delivery.

  20. Effect of drug loading method against the dissolution mechanism of encapsulated amoxicillin trihidrate drug in matrix of semi-IPN chitosan-poly (N-vinyl pyrrolidone) hydrogel with pore forming agent CaCO3

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nurjannah, Yanah; Budianto, Emil

    2018-04-01

    Heliobacter pylori (H.pylori) is a type of bacteria that causes inflammation in the lining of the stomach. The treatment of the bacterial infection by using conventional medicine which is amoxicillin trihidrate has a very short retention time in the stomach which is about 1-1,5 hours. Floating drug delivery system is expected to have a long retention time in the stomach so the efficiency of drug can be achieved. In this study, has been synthesized matrix of semi-IPN chitosan-Poly(N-vinil pyrrolidone) hydrogel with a pore-forming agent of CaCO3 under optimum conditions. Amoxicillin is encapsulated in a matrix hydrogel to be applied as a floating drug delivery system by in situ loading and post loading methods. The encapsulation efficiency and dissolution of in situ loading and post loading hydrogels are performed in vitro on gastric pH. In situ loading hydrogel shows higer percentage of encapsulation efficiency and dissolution compared to post loading hydrogel. The encapsulation efficiency of in situ and post loading hydrogels were 92,1% and 89,4%, respectively. The aim of drug dissolution by mathematical equation model is to know kinetics and the mecanism of dissolution. The kinetics release of in situ hydrogel tends to follow first order kinetics, while the post loading hydrogel follow the Higuchi model. The dissolution mecanism of hydrogels is erosion.

  1. Thermogelling chitosan–collagen–bioactive glass nanoparticle hybrids as potential injectable systems for tissue engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moreira, Cheisy D.F.; Carvalho, Sandhra M.; Mansur, Herman S., E-mail: hmansur@demet.ufmg.br; Pereira, Marivalda M., E-mail: mpereira@demet.ufmg.br

    2016-01-01

    Recently, stimuli-responsive nanocomposite-derived hydrogels have gained prominence in tissue engineering because they can be applied as injectable scaffolds in bone and cartilage repair. Due to the great potential of these systems, this study aimed to synthesize and characterize novel thermosensitive chitosan-based composites, chemically modified with collagen and reinforced by bioactive glass nanoparticles (BG) on the development of injectable nanohybrids for regenerative medicine applications. Thus, the composite hydrogels were extensively characterized by structural, morphological, rheological, and biological testing. The composites showed thermosensitive response with the gelation temperature at approximately 37 °C, which is compatible with the human body temperature. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis indicated that the chitosan hydrogels exhibited 3D-porous structures, and the incorporation of collagen in the system caused increase on the average pore size. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis indicated the main functional groups of each component of the composite system and their chemical interactions forming the scaffold. Moreover, rheological measurements were employed to assess the viscoelastic behavior of the hydrogels as a function of the temperature. The results demonstrated that the addition of collagen and bioactive glass increases the mechanical properties after the gelation process. The addition of 2 wt.% of BG nanoparticles caused an increase of approximately 39% on stiffness compared to pure chitosan and the addition of 30 wt.% collagen caused a further increase on the stiffness by 95%. The cytotoxicity and cell viability of the hydrogels were assessed by MTT and LIVE/DEAD® assays, where the results demonstrated no toxic effect of the composites on the human osteosarcoma cell culture (SAOS) and kidney cells line of human embryo (HEK 293T). Hence, it can be stated that innovative composites were

  2. An Injectable Composite Gelatin Hydrogel with pH Response Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baoguo Chen

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available On account of minimally invasive procedure and of filling irregular defects of tissues, injectable hydrogels are increasingly attractive in biomedical fields. However, traditional hydrogel formed by simple physical interaction or in situ crosslinking had inevitably some drawbacks such as low mechanical strength and lack of multifunctional properties. Though many investigations had successfully modified traditional injectable hydrogel to obtain both mechanical and functional properties, an acetalated β-cyclodextrin (Ac-β-CD nanoparticle composite injectable hydrogel designed in the research was another effective and efficient choice to solve the drawbacks. First of all, gelatin derivative (G-AA and Ac-β-CD were synthesized to prepare hydrogel and nanoparticle, respectively. In order to ensure good compatibility between nanoparticle and macromonomer and provide crosslink points between nanoparticle and macromonomer, G-AA was simultaneously functionalized onto the surface of Ac-β-CD nanoparticle during the fabrication of Ac-β-CD nanoparticle using one-step method. Finally, injectable composite hydrogel was obtained by photoinitiated polymerization in situ. Hydrogel properties like gelation time and swelling ratio were investigated. The viscoelastic behavior of hydrogels confirmed that typical characteristics of crosslinked elastomer for all hydrogel and nanoparticle in hydrogel could improve the mechanical property of hydrogel. Moreover, the transparency with time had verified obvious acid-response properties of hydrogels.

  3. Applications of chitosan-based thermo-sensitive copolymers for harvesting living cell sheet

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, J.-P.; Yang, T.-F.

    2008-01-01

    A thermo-sensitive chitosan-based copolymer hydrogel was used for harvesting living cell sheets. The hydrogel was tested for harvesting 3T3 cells after carrying out cell culture at 37 deg. C and incubating the confluent cells at 20 deg. C for spontaneous detachment of cell sheets from hydrogel surface without enzyme treatment. Results from cell viability assay and microscopy observations demonstrated that cells could attach to the hydrogel surface and maintain high viability and proliferation ability. Cell detachment efficiency from the hydrogel was about 80%. The detached cell sheet retained high viability and could proliferate again after transferred to a new culture surface

  4. Application of Chitosan as Antibacterial for Pangasius Fillet at Low Temperature Storage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Windi Damayanti

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available AbstractThis research were to obtain the optimal concentration of chitosan as an antibacterial material wich had the longest of storage period of pangasius fillet at low temperature storage (5-10oC. The method used is an experimental method with a completely randomized design, four treatments and three replications. Pangasius fillet was soaked with chitosan 0%, 1%, 2% and 3% for 3 minutes, then packed with styrofoam and plastic wrap and stored at low teperature. The observation were made on day 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th ,7th, 9th,10th, 11th and 12th. The parameters observed total bacterial colonies, the degree of acidity (pH, weight loss, and antibacterial activity of chitosan using disc diffusion methods. The conclusion of research was that the 2% chitosan is optimal concentration for pangasius fillet storage at a low temperature until day 11th, with a total 6.7 X105 cfu/g of bacterial colonies, pH 6.67 and total 6,78 % of weight loss.Chitosan also has a higher antibacterial capability against Escherichia coli (Gram negative bacteria than Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis (Gram positive bacteria.

  5. Ionic and Polyampholyte N-Isopropylacrylamide-Based Hydrogels Prepared in the Presence of Imprinting Ligands: Stimuli-Responsiveness and Adsorption/Release Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmen Alvarez-Lorenzo

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The conformation of the imprinted pockets in stimulus-responsive networks can be notably altered when the stimulus causes a volume phase transition. Such a tunable affinity for the template molecule finds interesting applications in the biomedical and drug delivery fields. Nevertheless, the effect that the binding of the template causes on the stimuli-responsiveness of the network has barely been evaluated. In this work, the effect of two ionic drugs used as templates, namely propranolol hydrochloride and ibuprofen sodium, on the responsiveness of N-isopropylacrylamide-based hydrogels copolymerized with acrylic acid (AAc and N-(3-aminopropyl methacrylamide (APMA and on their ability to rebind and to control the release of the template was evaluated. The degree of swelling and, in some cases, energetics (HS-DSC of the transitions were monitored as a function of temperature, pH, and concentration of drug. Marked decrease in the transition temperature of the hydrogels, accompanied by notable changes in the transition width, was observed in physiological NaCl solutions and after the binding of the drug molecules, which reveals relevant changes in the domain structure of the hydrogels as the charged groups are shielded. The ability of the hydrogels to rebind propranolol or ibuprofen was quantified at both 4 and 37 °C and at two different drug concentrations, in the range of those that cause major changes in the network structure. Noticeable differences between hydrogels bearing AAc or APMA and between imprinted and non-imprinted networks were also observed during the release tests in NaCl solutions of various concentrations. Overall, the results obtained evidence the remarkable effect of the template molecules on the responsiveness of intelligent imprinted hydrogels.

  6. Self-cleaned electrochemical protein imprinting biosensor basing on a thermo-responsive memory hydrogel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Yubo; Zeng, Qiang; Hu, Qiong; Wang, Min; Tao, Jia; Wang, Lishi

    2018-01-15

    Herein, the self-cleaned electrochemical protein imprinting biosensor basing on a thermo-responsive memory hydrogel was constructed on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with a free radical polymerization method. Combining the advantages of thermo-responsive molecular imprinted polymers and electrochemistry, the resulted biosensor presents a novel self-cleaned ability for bovine serum albumin (BSA) in aqueous media. As a temperature controlled gate, the hydrogel film undergoes the adsorption and desorption of BSA basing on a reversible structure change with the external temperature stimuli. In particular, these processes have been revealed by the response of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of electroactive [Fe(CN) 6 ] 3-/4- . The results have been supported by the evidences of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and contact angles measurements. Under the optimal conditions, a wide detection range from 0.02μmolL -1 to 10μmolL -1 with a detection limit of 0.012 μmolL -1 (S/N = 3) was obtained for BSA. This proposed BSA sensor also possesses high selectivity, excellent stability, acceptable recovery and good reproducibility in its practical applications. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. USEBILITY OF HYDROGELS IN ADSORPTION TECHNOLOGHY FOR REMOVAL OF HEAVY METAL AND DYE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    AÇIKEL Safiye Meriç

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Heavy metals and Dyes are very toxic and nonbiodegradable in waste waters to cause adverse health effects in human body and to induce irreversible pollution. Adsorption offers many potential advantages for removal of toxic heavy metals being flexibility in design and operation, high-quality treated effluent, reversible nature for multiple uses, and many commercially available adsorbent materials, such as activated carbon, zeolite, clay, sawdust, bark, biomass, lignin, chitosan and other polymer adsorbents. Compared to conventional adsorbent materials above, hydrogelbased adsorbents recently have attracted special attention to their highly potential for effective removal of heavy metals and dyes. Hydrogels are named “Hydrophilic Polymer” because of care for water. Hydrogels is not solved in water; however they have been swollen to their balance volume. Because of this swell behavior, they can adsorb big quantity of water in this structure. So they can term of “three sized polymers” due to protect their existing shape [9]. Hydrogels with porous structures and chemically-responsive functional groups, enable to readily capture metal ions and dyes from wastewater. Hydrogels with porous structures and chemically-responsive functional groups, enable to readily capture metal ions and dyes from wastewater. In adsorption applications, hydrogels are used in water purification, heavy metal/dying removing, controlled fertilizer released, ion exchange applications, chromatographic applications, dilute extractions, waste water treatments. This article general inform about usage of hydrogels in Dye and Heavy Metal adsorption.

  8. Analgesic Effect of Intra-Articular Injection of Temperature-Responsive Hydrogel Containing Bupivacaine on Osteoarthritic Pain in Rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Taemin; Seol, Dong Rim; Hahm, Suk-Chan; Ko, Cheolwoong; Kim, Eun-Hye; Chun, Keyoungjin; Kim, Junesun; Lim, Tae-Hong

    2015-01-01

    The present study examined the analgesic effects of slow-releasing bupivacaine from hydrogel on chronic arthritic pain in rats. Osteoarthritis (OA) was induced by monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) injection into the right knee joint. Hydrogel (HG: 20, 30, and 50 μL) and temperature-sensitive hydrogel containing bupivacaine (T-gel: 20, 30, and 50 μL) were injected intra-articularly 14 days after MIA injection. Behavioral tests were conducted. The rats showed a significant decrease in weight load and paw withdrawal threshold (PWT). Intra-articular 0.5% bupivacaine (10 and 20 μL) significantly reversed MIA-induced decreased PWT, with no effect on weight load. In normal rats, hydrogel did not produce significant changes in PWT but at 30 and 50 μL slightly decreased weight bearing; T-gel did not cause any changes in both the weight load and PWT. In OA rats, T-gel at 20 μL had a significant analgesic effect for 2 days, even though T-gel at 50 μL further reduced the weight load, demonstrating that intra-articular T-gel (20 μL) has long-lasting analgesic effects in OA rats. Thus, T-gel designed to deliver analgesics into the joint cavity could be an effective therapeutic tool in the clinical setting. PMID:26881207

  9. Construction of Injectable Double-Network Hydrogels for Cell Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Yan; Li, Mengnan; Yang, Di; Wang, Qian; Liang, Fuxin; Qu, Xiaozhong; Qiu, Dong; Yang, Zhenzhong

    2017-07-10

    Herein we present a unique method of using dynamic cross-links, which are dynamic covalent bonding and ionic interaction, for the construction of injectable double-network (DN) hydrogels, with the objective of cell delivery for cartilage repair. Glycol chitosan and dibenzaldhyde capped poly(ethylene oxide) formed the first network, while calcium alginate formed the second one, and in the resultant DN hydrogel, either of the networks could be selectively removed. The moduli of the DN hydrogel were significantly improved compared to that of the parent single-network hydrogels and were tunable by changing the chemical components. In situ 3D cell encapsulation could be easily performed by mixing cell suspension to the polymer solutions and transferred through a syringe needle before sol-gel transition. Cell proliferation and mediated differentiation of mouse chondrogenic cells were achieved in the DN hydrogel extracellular matrix.

  10. Responsive polyelectrolyte hydrogels and soft matter micromanipulation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Glazer, P.J.

    2013-01-01

    This dissertation describes experimental studies on the mechanisms underlying the dynamic response of polyelectrolyte hydrogels when submitted to an external electric potential. In addition, we explore the possibilities of miniaturization and manipulation of responsive gels and other soft matter

  11. Chitosan to Connect Biology to Electronics: Fabricating the Bio-Device Interface and Communicating Across This Interface

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eunkyoung Kim

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Individually, advances in microelectronics and biology transformed the way we live our lives. However, there remain few examples in which biology and electronics have been interfaced to create synergistic capabilities. We believe there are two major challenges to the integration of biological components into microelectronic systems: (i assembly of the biological components at an electrode address, and (ii communication between the assembled biological components and the underlying electrode. Chitosan possesses a unique combination of properties to meet these challenges and serve as an effective bio-device interface material. For assembly, chitosan’s pH-responsive film-forming properties allow it to “recognize” electrode-imposed signals and respond by self-assembling as a stable hydrogel film through a cathodic electrodeposition mechanism. A separate anodic electrodeposition mechanism was recently reported and this also allows chitosan hydrogel films to be assembled at an electrode address. Protein-based biofunctionality can be conferred to electrodeposited films through a variety of physical, chemical and biological methods. For communication, we are investigating redox-active catechol-modified chitosan films as an interface to bridge redox-based communication between biology and an electrode. Despite significant progress over the last decade, many questions still remain which warrants even deeper study of chitosan’s structure, properties, and functions.

  12. Response surface methodology applied to the study of the microwave-assisted synthesis of quaternized chitosan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    dos Santos, Danilo Martins; Bukzem, Andrea de Lacerda; Campana-Filho, Sérgio Paulo

    2016-03-15

    A quaternized derivative of chitosan, namely N-(2-hydroxy)-propyl-3-trimethylammonium chitosan chloride (QCh), was synthesized by reacting glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride (GTMAC) and chitosan (Ch) in acid medium under microwave irradiation. Full-factorial 2(3) central composite design and response surface methodology (RSM) were applied to evaluate the effects of molar ratio GTMAC/Ch, reaction time and temperature on the reaction yield, average degree of quaternization (DQ) and intrinsic viscosity ([η]) of QCh. The molar ratio GTMAC/Ch was the most important factor affecting the response variables and RSM results showed that highly substituted QCh (DQ = 71.1%) was produced at high yield (164%) when the reaction was carried out for 30min. at 85°C by using molar ratio GTMAC/Ch 6/1. Results showed that microwave-assisted synthesis is much faster (≤30min.) as compared to conventional reaction procedures (>4h) carried out in similar conditions except for the use of microwave irradiation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Chitosan-g-lactide copolymers for fabrication of 3D scaffolds for tissue engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demina, T. S.; Zaytseva-Zotova, D. S.; Timashev, P. S.; Bagratashvili, V. N.; Bardakova, K. N.; Sevrin, Ch; Svidchenko, E. A.; Surin, N. M.; Markvicheva, E. A.; Grandfils, Ch; Akopova, T. A.

    2015-07-01

    Chitosan-g-oligo (L, D-lactide) copolymers were synthesized and assessed to fabricate a number of 3D scaffolds using a variety of technologies such as oil/water emulsion evaporation technique, freeze-drying and two-photon photopolymerization. Solid-state copolymerization method allowed us to graft up to 160 wt-% of oligolactide onto chitosan backbone via chitosan amino group acetylation with substitution degree reaching up to 0.41. Grafting of hydrophobic oligolactide side chains with polymerization degree up to 10 results in chitosan amphiphilic properties. The synthesized chitosan-g-lactide copolymers were used to design 3D scaffolds for tissue engineering such as spherical microparticles and macroporous hydrogels.

  14. Application of Chitosan as Antibacterial for Pangasius Fillet at Low Temperature Storage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Windi Damayanti

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This research was conducted in the Laboratory of Fishery Products Processing, Faculty of Fisheries andMarine Science, University of Padjadjaran, Jatinangor. The purpose of this research is to obtain the optimalconcentration of chitosan as an antibacterial material wich had the longest of storage period of pangasiusfillet at low temperature storage (5-10oC. The method used is an experimental method with a completelyrandomized design, four treatments and three replications. Pangasius fillet was soaked with chitosan 0%,1%, 2% and 3% for 3 minutes, then packed with styrofoam and plastic wrap and stored at low teperature.The observation were made on day 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th ,7th, 9th,10th, 11th and 12th. The parameters observedtotal bacterial colonies, the degree of acidity (pH, weight loss, and antibacterial activity of chitosan usingdisc diffusion methods. The final conclusion is that the 2% chitosan is optimal concentration for pangasiusfillet storage at a low temperature until day 11th, with a total 6.7 X105 cfu/g of bacterial colonies, pH 6.67 andtotal 6,78 % of weight loss.Chitosan also has a higher antibacterial capability against Escherichia coli (Gramnegative bacteria than Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis (Gram positive bacteria.

  15. Injectable, Biomolecule-Responsive Polypeptide Hydrogels for Cell Encapsulation and Facile Cell Recovery through Triggered Degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Qinghua; He, Chaoliang; Zhang, Zhen; Ren, Kaixuan; Chen, Xuesi

    2016-11-16

    Injectable hydrogels have been widely investigated in biomedical applications, and increasing demand has been proposed to achieve dynamic regulation of physiological properties of hydrogels. Herein, a new type of injectable and biomolecule-responsive hydrogel based on poly(l-glutamic acid) (PLG) grafted with disulfide bond-modified phloretic acid (denoted as PLG-g-CPA) was developed. The hydrogels formed in situ via enzymatic cross-linking under physiological conditions in the presence of horseradish peroxidase and hydrogen peroxide. The physiochemical properties of the hydrogels, including gelation time and the rheological property, were measured. Particularly, the triggered degradation of the hydrogel in response to a reductive biomolecule, glutathione (GSH), was investigated in detail. The mechanical strength and inner porous structure of the hydrogel were influenced by the addition of GSH. The polypeptide hydrogel was used as a three-dimensional (3D) platform for cell encapsulation, which could release the cells through triggered disruption of the hydrogel in response to the addition of GSH. The cells released from the hydrogel were found to maintain high viability. Moreover, after subcutaneous injection into rats, the PLG-g-CPA hydrogels with disulfide-containing cross-links exhibited a markedly faster degradation behavior in vivo compared to that of the PLG hydrogels without disulfide cross-links, implying an interesting accelerated degradation process of the disulfide-containing polypeptide hydrogels in the physiological environment in vivo. Overall, the injectable and biomolecule-responsive polypeptide hydrogels may serve as a potential platform for 3D cell culture and easy cell collection.

  16. Synthesis of PVA/PVP hydrogels having two layers by radiation and their physical properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nho, Y.C.; Park, K.R.

    2002-01-01

    Complete text of publication follows. The radiation can induce chemical reaction to modify polymer under even the solid state or in the low temperature. The radiation crosslinking can be easily adjusted by controlling the radiation dose and is reproducible. The finished product contains no residuals of substances required to initiate the chemical crosslinking that can restrict the application possibilities. In these studies, two layer's hydrogel which consisted of urethane membrane and a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol/poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone /glycerin/chitosan was made by gamma-ray irradiation or two steps of 'freezing and thawing' and gamma-ray irradiation for wound dressing. The physical properties such as gelation, water absorptivity, and gel strength were examined to evaluate the hydrogels for wound dressing. Urethane was dissolved in solvent, the urethane solution was poured on the mould, and then dried to make the thin membrane. Hydrophilic polymer solutions were poured on the urethane membranes, they were exposed to gamma irradiation or 'freezing and thawing' and gamma irradiation doses of 25, 35, 50 and 60 kGy to evaluate the physical properties of hydrogels. The physical properties of hydrogels such as gelation and gel strength were improved, and the evaporation speed of water in hydrogel was low when urethane membrane was used

  17. Controlled release studies of calcium alginate hydrogels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rendevski, S.; Andonovski, A.; Mahmudi, N.

    2012-01-01

    Controlled release of substances in many cases may be achieved from calcium alginate hydrogels. In this research, the time dependence of the mass of released model substance bovine serum albumin (BSA) from calcium alginate spherical hydrogels of three different types (G/M ratio) have been investigated. The hydrogels were prepared with the drop-wise method of sodium alginate aqueous solutions with concentration of 0.02 g/cm 3 with 0.01 g/cm 3 BSA and a gelling water bath of chitosan in 0.2 M CH 3 COOH/0.4 M CH 3 COONa with added 0.2 M CaCl 2 .The hydrogel structures were characterized by dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy. The controlled release studies were conducted by UV-Vis spectrophotometry of the released medium with p H=7 at 37 °C. The results showed that the model of osmotic pumping is the dominant mechanism of the release. Also, large dependences of the release profile on the homogeneity of the hydrogels were found. (Author)

  18. Dual Cross-Linked Biofunctional and Self-Healing Networks to Generate User-Defined Modular Gradient Hydrogel Constructs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Zhao; Lewis, Daniel M; Xu, Yu; Gerecht, Sharon

    2017-08-01

    Gradient hydrogels have been developed to mimic the spatiotemporal differences of multiple gradient cues in tissues. Current approaches used to generate such hydrogels are restricted to a single gradient shape and distribution. Here, a hydrogel is designed that includes two chemical cross-linking networks, biofunctional, and self-healing networks, enabling the customizable formation of modular gradient hydrogel construct with various gradient distributions and flexible shapes. The biofunctional networks are formed via Michael addition between the acrylates of oxidized acrylated hyaluronic acid (OAHA) and the dithiol of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-sensitive cross-linker and RGD peptides. The self-healing networks are formed via dynamic Schiff base reaction between N-carboxyethyl chitosan (CEC) and OAHA, which drives the modular gradient units to self-heal into an integral modular gradient hydrogel. The CEC-OAHA-MMP hydrogel exhibits excellent flowability at 37 °C under shear stress, enabling its injection to generate gradient distributions and shapes. Furthermore, encapsulated sarcoma cells respond to the gradient cues of RGD peptides and MMP-sensitive cross-linkers in the hydrogel. With these superior properties, the dual cross-linked CEC-OAHA-MMP hydrogel holds significant potential for generating customizable gradient hydrogel constructs, to study and guide cellular responses to their microenvironment such as in tumor mimicking, tissue engineering, and stem cell differentiation and morphogenesis. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Effects of pore forming agents of potassium bicarbonate and drug loading method against dissolution mechanisms of amoxicillin drugs encapsulated in hydrogel full-Ipn chitosan-poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) as a floating drug delivery system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aini, Nurul; Rahayu, Dyah Utami Cahyaning; Budianto, Emil

    2018-04-01

    The limitation of amoxicillin trihydrate in the treatment of H. pylori bacteria is relatively short retention time in the stomach. The FDDS (Floating Drug Delivery System) amoxicillin trihydrate into a chitosan-poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) full-Ipn hydrogel matrix using a pore-forming agent KHCO3 is expected to overcome these limitations. The pore-forming agent to be used is 15% KHCO3 compound. Chemical kinetics approach is performed to determine the dissolution mechanism of amoxicillin trihydrate from K-PNVCL hydrogel in vitro on gastric pH and characterization using SEM performed to confirm the dissolution mechanism. Hydrogels with the addition of pore-forming agents will be loading in situ loading and post loading. Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to characterize K-PNVCL and UV-Vis hydrogels used to calculate the efficiency of encapsulation and drug dissolution rate in K-PNVCL hydrogel. Hydrogel K-PNVCL / KHCO3 that encapsulated by in situ loading method resulted in an encapsulation efficiency of 93.5% and dissolution of 93.4%. While the Hydrogel K-PNVCL / KHCO3 which is drug encapsulation resulted in an encapsulation efficiency of 87.2% with dissolution of 81.5%. Chemical kinetics approach to in situ encapsulation of loading and post loading shows the dissolution mechanism occurring in the K-PNVCL / KHCO3 hydrogel matrix occurs by diffusion. Observation using optical microscope and SEM showed the mechanism of drug dissolution in Hydrogel K-PNVCL occurred by diffusion.

  20. Swelling and Shrinking Properties of Thermo-Responsive Polymeric Ionic Liquid Hydrogels with Embedded Linear pNIPAAM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simon Gallagher

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available In this study, varying concentrations of linear pNIPAAM have been incorporated for the first time into a thermo-responsive polymeric ionic liquid (PIL hydrogel, namely tributyl-hexyl phosphonium 3-sulfopropylacrylate (P-SPA, to produce semi-interpenetrating polymer networks. The thermal properties of the resulting hydrogels have been investigated along with their thermo-induced shrinking and reswelling capabilities. The semi-interpenetrating networks (IPN hydrogels were found to have improved shrinking and reswelling properties compared with their PIL counterpart. At elevated temperatures (50–80 °C, it was found that the semi-IPN with the highest concentration of hydrophobic pNIPAAM exhibited the highest shrinking percentage of ~40% compared to the conventional P-SPA, (27%. This trend was also found to occur for the reswelling measurements, with semi-IPN hydrogels producing the highest reswelling percentage of ~67%, with respect to its contracted state. This was attributed to an increase in water affinity due to the presence of hydrophilic pNIPAAM. Moreover, the presence of linear pNIPAAM in the polymer matrix leads to improved shrinking and reswelling response compared to the equivalent PIL.

  1. Radiation Synthesis of Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogels for Biological Applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eid, M.; Hegazy, S.A.

    2009-01-01

    Poly(acrylamide/maleic acid/gelatin) P(AAm/MA/G) hydrogel networks were synthesized by 60 Co gamma irradiation at different doses. The properties of the hydrogels such as gelation percent, porosity, and moisture retention were investigated. The swelling ratio (S), equilibrium water content (EWC) and diffusion characteristics, including equilibrium swelling ratio (ESR), diffusion constant (n) and diffusion coefficients (D) were investigated and a non-Fickian type of diffusion characteristics was found in all the swelling media for the diffusion of water into these hydrogels. Further, the swelling pattern of P(AAm/MA/G) hydrogels was studied in different physiological bio-fluids, ph and ionic/salt solutions and showed great responsiveness due to their ionic character. The penetration velocity (v) of these biological fluids into such hydrogels was also calculated and it was found to be the maximum in urea and the minimum in synthetic urine. The higher equilibrium water content of these hydrogels, promotes them to be used as biomedical/pharmaceutical technology. The caffeine release as a drug model has been studied at ph 1 and ph 7 to resemble the ph of the stomach and the intestine, respectively. The caffeine release was controlled by the hydrogel crosslinking density that caused in increase of the irradiation dose

  2. Transient rheology of stimuli responsive hydrogels: Integrating microrheology and microfluidics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sato, Jun

    Stimuli-responsive hydrogels have diverse potential applications in the field of drug delivery, tissue engineering, agriculture, cosmetics, gene therapy, and as sensors and actuators due to their unique responsiveness to external signals, such as pH, temperature, and ionic strength. Understanding the responsiveness of hydrogel structure and rheology to these stimuli is essential for designing materials with desirable performance. However, no instrumentation and well-defined methodology are available to characterize the structural and rheological responses to rapid solvent changes. In this thesis, a new microrheology set-up is described, which allows us to quantitatively measure the transient rheological properties and microstructure of a variety of solvent-responsive complex fluids. The device was constructed by integrating particle tracking microrheology and microfluidics and offers unique experimental capabilities for performing solvent-reponse measurements on soft fragile materials without applying external shear forces. Transient analysis methods to quantitatively obtain rheological properties were also constructed, and guidelines for the trade-off between statistical validity and temporal resolution were developed to accurately capture physical transitions. Employing the new device and methodology, we successfully quantified the transient rheological and microstructural responses during gel formation and break-up, and viscosity changes of solvent-responsive complex fluids. The analysis method was expanded for heterogeneous samples, incorporating methods to quantify the microrheology of samples with broad distributions of individual particle dynamics. Transient microrheology measurements of fragile, heterogeneous, self-assembled block copolypeptide hydrogels revealed that solvent exchange via convective mixing and dialysis can lead to significantly different gel properties and that commonly applied sample preparation protocols for the characterization of soft

  3. The rational design of a peptide-based hydrogel responsive to H2S.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peltier, Raoul; Chen, Ganchao; Lei, Haipeng; Zhang, Mei; Gao, Liqian; Lee, Su Seong; Wang, Zuankai; Sun, Hongyan

    2015-12-18

    The development of hydrogels that are responsive to external stimuli in a well-controlled manner is important for numerous biomedical applications. Herein we reported the first example of a hydrogel responsive to hydrogen sulphide (H2S). H2S is an important gasotransmitter whose deregulation has been associated with a number of pathological conditions. Our hydrogel design is based on the functionalization of an ultrashort hydrogelating peptide sequence with an azidobenzyl moiety, which was reported to react with H2S selectively under physiological conditions. The resulting peptide was able to produce hydrogels at a concentration as low as 0.1 wt%. It could then be fully degraded in the presence of excess H2S. We envision that the novel hydrogel developed in this study may provide useful tools for biomedical research.

  4. Bio-responsive polymer hydrogels homeostatically regulate blood coagulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maitz, Manfred F; Freudenberg, Uwe; Tsurkan, Mikhail V; Fischer, Marion; Beyrich, Theresa; Werner, Carsten

    2013-01-01

    Bio-responsive polymer architectures can empower medical therapies by engaging molecular feedback-response mechanisms resembling the homeostatic adaptation of living tissues to varying environmental constraints. Here we show that a blood coagulation-responsive hydrogel system can deliver heparin in amounts triggered by the environmental levels of thrombin, the key enzyme of the coagulation cascade, which--in turn--becomes inactivated due to released heparin. The bio-responsive hydrogel quantitatively quenches blood coagulation over several hours in the presence of pro-coagulant stimuli and during repeated incubation with fresh, non-anticoagulated blood. These features enable the introduced material to provide sustainable, autoregulated anticoagulation, addressing a key challenge of many medical therapies. Beyond that, the explored concept may facilitate the development of materials that allow the effective and controlled application of drugs and biomolecules.

  5. DNA Hydrogel with Tunable pH-Responsive Properties Produced by Rolling Circle Amplification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Wanlin; Huang, Yishun; Zhao, Haoran; Li, Pan; Liu, Guoyuan; Li, Jing; Zhu, Chengshen; Tian, Leilei

    2017-12-22

    Recently, smart DNA hydrogels, which are generally formed by the self-assembly of oligonucleotides or through the cross-linking of oligonucleotide-polymer hybrids, have attracted tremendous attention. However, the difficulties of fabricating DNA hydrogels limit their practical applications. We report herein a novel method for producing pH-responsive hydrogels by rolling circle amplification (RCA). In this method, pH-sensitive cross-linking sites were introduced into the polymeric DNA chains during DNA synthesis. As the DNA sequence can be precisely defined by its template, the properties of such hydrogels can be finely tuned in a very facile way through template design. We have investigated the process of hydrogel formation and pH-responsiveness to provide rationales for functional hydrogel design based on the RCA reaction. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Chondrocyte differentiation for auricular cartilage reconstruction using a chitosan based hydrogel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-López, J; Garciadiego-Cázares, D; Melgarejo-Ramírez, Y; Sánchez-Sánchez, R; Solís-Arrieta, L; García-Carvajal, Z; Sánchez-Betancourt, J I; Ibarra, C; Luna-Bárcenas, G; Velasquillo, C

    2015-12-01

    Tissue engineering with the use of biodegradable and biocompatible scaffolds is an interesting option for ear repair. Chitosan-Polyvinyl alcohol-Epichlorohydrine hydrogel (CS-PVA-ECH) is biocompatible and displays appropriate mechanical properties to be used as a scaffold. The present work, studies the potential of CS-PVA-ECH scaffolds seeded with chondrocytes to develop elastic cartilage engineered-neotissues. Chondrocytes isolated from rabbit and swine elastic cartilage were independently cultured onto CS-PVA-ECH scaffolds for 20 days to form the appropriate constructs. Then, in vitro cell viability and morphology were evaluated by calcein AM and EthD-1 assays and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) respectively, and the constructs were implanted in nu/nu mice for four months, in order to evaluate the neotissue formation. Histological analysis of the formed neotissues was performed by Safranin O, Toluidine blue (GAG's), Verhoeff-Van Gieson (elastic fibers), Masson's trichrome (collagen) and Von Kossa (Calcium salts) stains and SEM. Results indicate appropriate cell viability, seeded with rabbit or swine chondrocyte constructs; nevertheless, upon implantation the constructs developed neotissues with different characteristics depending on the animal species from which the seeded chondrocytes came from. Neotissues developed from swine chondrocytes were similar to auricular cartilage, while neotissues from rabbit chondrocytes were similar to hyaline cartilage and eventually they differentiate to bone. This result suggests that neotissue characteristics may be influenced by the animal species source of the chondrocytes isolated.

  7. Mussel-inspired tough hydrogels with self-repairing and tissue adhesion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Zijian; Duan, Lijie; Yang, Yongqi; Hu, Wei; Gao, Guanghui

    2018-01-01

    The mussel-inspired polymeric hydrogels have been attractively explored owing to their self-repairing or adhesive property when the catechol groups of dopamine could chelate metal ions. However, it was a challenge for self-repairing hydrogels owning high mechanical properties. Herein, a synergistic strategy was proposed by combining catechol-Fe3+ complexes and hydrophobic association. The resulting hydrogels exhibited seamless self-repairing behavior, tissue adhesion and high mechanical property. Moreover, the pH-dependent stoichiometry of catechol-Fe3+ and temperature-sensitive hydrophobic association endue hydrogels with pH/thermo responsive characteristics. Subsequently, the self-repairing rate and mechanical property of hydrogels were investigated at different pH and temperature. This bio-inspired strategy would build an avenue for designing and constructing a new generation of self-repairing, tissue-adhesive and tough hydrogel.

  8. Development of Novel N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm Based Hydrogels with Varying Content of Chrysin Multiacrylate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shuo Tang

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available A series of novel temperature responsive hydrogels were synthesized by free radical polymerization with varying content of chrysin multiacrylate (ChryMA. The goal was to study the impact of this novel polyphenolic-based multiacrylate on the properties of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm hydrogels. The temperature responsive behavior of the copolymerized gels was characterized by swelling studies, and their lower critical solution temperature (LCST was characterized through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC. It was shown that the incorporation of ChryMA decreased the swelling ratios of the hydrogels and shifted their LCSTs to a lower temperature. Gels with different ChryMA content showed different levels of response to temperature change. Higher content gels had a broader phase transition and smaller temperature response, which could be attributed to the increased hydrophobicity being introduced by the ChryMA.

  9. Triethyl orthoformate mediated a novel crosslinking method for the preparation of hydrogels for tissue engineering applications: characterization and in vitro cytocompatibility analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yar, Muhammad, E-mail: drmyar@ciitlahore.edu.pk [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Shahzad, Sohail [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Department of Chemistry, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100 (Pakistan); Siddiqi, Saadat Anwar [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Mahmood, Nasir [Department of Allied Health Sciences and Chemical Pathology, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of Health Sciences, Lahore (Pakistan); Rauf, Abdul [Department of Chemistry, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100 (Pakistan); Anwar, Muhammad Sabieh [Department of Physics, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Opposite Sector U, D.H.A., Lahore 54792 (Pakistan); Chaudhry, Aqif Anwar [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Rehman, Ihtesham ur [Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Kroto Research Institute, The University of Sheffield, North Campus, Broad Lane, Sheffield S3 7HQ (United Kingdom)

    2015-11-01

    This paper describes the development of a new crosslinking method for the synthesis of novel hydrogel films from chitosan and PVA for potential use in various biomedical applications. These hydrogel membranes were synthesized by blending different ratios of chitosan (CS) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) solutions and were crosslinked with 2.5% (w/v) triethyl orthoformate (TEOF) in the presence of 17% (w/v) sulfuric acid. The physical/chemical interactions and the presence of specific functional groups in the synthesized materials were evaluated by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The morphology, structure and pore size of the materials were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) proved that these crosslinked hydrogel films have good thermal stability which was decreased as the CS ratio was increased. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) exhibited that CS and PVA were present in the amorphous form. The solution absorption properties were performed in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) solution of pH 7.4. The 20% PVA–80% CS crosslinked hydrogel films showed a greater degree of solution absorption (183%) as compared to other compositions. The hydrogels with greater CS concentration (60% and 80%) demonstrated relatively more porous structure, better cell viability and proliferation and also revealed good blood clotting ability even after crosslinking. Based on the observed facts these hydrogels can be tailored for their potential utilization in wound healing and skin tissue engineering applications. - Highlights: • A new method for covalently crosslinking of chitosan and PVA. • Triethyl orthoformate (TEOF) a new polymer–polymer crosslinking agent. • Hydrogels displayed a good solution absorption capacity. • Hydrogels demonstrated good cytocompatibility. • Good blood clotting potential was shown by these scaffolds.

  10. Triethyl orthoformate mediated a novel crosslinking method for the preparation of hydrogels for tissue engineering applications: characterization and in vitro cytocompatibility analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yar, Muhammad; Shahzad, Sohail; Siddiqi, Saadat Anwar; Mahmood, Nasir; Rauf, Abdul; Anwar, Muhammad Sabieh; Chaudhry, Aqif Anwar; Rehman, Ihtesham ur

    2015-01-01

    This paper describes the development of a new crosslinking method for the synthesis of novel hydrogel films from chitosan and PVA for potential use in various biomedical applications. These hydrogel membranes were synthesized by blending different ratios of chitosan (CS) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) solutions and were crosslinked with 2.5% (w/v) triethyl orthoformate (TEOF) in the presence of 17% (w/v) sulfuric acid. The physical/chemical interactions and the presence of specific functional groups in the synthesized materials were evaluated by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The morphology, structure and pore size of the materials were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) proved that these crosslinked hydrogel films have good thermal stability which was decreased as the CS ratio was increased. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) exhibited that CS and PVA were present in the amorphous form. The solution absorption properties were performed in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) solution of pH 7.4. The 20% PVA–80% CS crosslinked hydrogel films showed a greater degree of solution absorption (183%) as compared to other compositions. The hydrogels with greater CS concentration (60% and 80%) demonstrated relatively more porous structure, better cell viability and proliferation and also revealed good blood clotting ability even after crosslinking. Based on the observed facts these hydrogels can be tailored for their potential utilization in wound healing and skin tissue engineering applications. - Highlights: • A new method for covalently crosslinking of chitosan and PVA. • Triethyl orthoformate (TEOF) a new polymer–polymer crosslinking agent. • Hydrogels displayed a good solution absorption capacity. • Hydrogels demonstrated good cytocompatibility. • Good blood clotting potential was shown by these scaffolds

  11. Supramolecular Lego assembly towards three-dimensional multi-responsive hydrogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Chunxin; Li, Tiefeng; Zhao, Qian; Yang, Xuxu; Wu, Jingjun; Luo, Yingwu; Xie, Tao

    2014-08-27

    Inspired by the assembly of Lego toys, hydrogel building blocks with heterogeneous responsiveness are assembled utilizing macroscopic supramolecular recognition as the adhesion force. The Lego hydrogel provides 3D transformation upon pH variation. After disassembly of the building blocks by changing the oxidation state, they can be re-assembled into a completely new shape. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Autoclavable physically-crosslinked chitosan cryogel as a wound dressing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takei, Takayuki; Danjo, So; Sakoguchi, Shogo; Tanaka, Sadao; Yoshinaga, Takuma; Nishimata, Hiroto; Yoshida, Masahiro

    2018-04-01

    Moist wounds were known to heal more rapidly than dry wounds. Hydrogel wound dressings were suitable for the moist wound healing because of their hyperhydrous structure. Chitosan was a strong candidate as a base material for hydrogel wound dressings because the polymer had excellent biological properties that promoted wound healing. We previously developed physically-crosslinked chitosan cryogels, which were prepared solely by freeze-thawing of a chitosan-gluconic acid conjugate (CG) aqueous solution, for wound treatment. The CG cryogels were disinfected by immersing in 70% ethanol before applying to wounds in our previous study. In the present study, we examined the influence of autoclave sterilization (121°C, 20 min) on the characteristics of CG cryogel because complete sterilization was one of the fundamental requirements for medical devices. We found that optimum value of gluconic acid content of CG, defined as the number of the incorporated gluconic acid units per 100 glucosamine units of chitosan, was 11 for autoclaving. An increased crosslinking level of CG cryogel on autoclaving enhanced resistance of the gels to enzymatic degradation. Furthermore, the autoclaved CG cryogels retained favorable biological properties of the pre-autoclaved CG cryogels in that they showed the same hemostatic activity and efficacy in repairing full-thickness skin wounds as the pre-autoclaved CG cryogels. These results showed the great potential of autoclavable CG cryogels as a practical wound dressing. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Effect of enzymatic degradation of chitosan in polyhydroxybutyrate/chitosan/calcium phosphate composites on in vitro osteoblast response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giretova, Maria; Medvecky, Lubomir; Stulajterova, Radoslava; Sopcak, Tibor; Briancin, Jaroslav; Tatarkova, Monika

    2016-12-01

    Polyhydroxybutyrate/chitosan/calcium phosphate composites are interesting biomaterials for utilization in regenerative medicine and they may by applied in reconstruction of deeper subchondral defects. Insufficient informations were found in recent papers about the influence of lysozyme degradation of chitosan in calcium phosphate/chitosan based composites on in vitro cytotoxicity and proliferation activity of osteoblasts. The effect of enzymatic chitosan degradation on osteoblasts proliferation was studied on composite films in which the porosity of origin 3D scaffolds was eliminated and the surface texture was modified. The significantly enhanced proliferation activity with faster population growth of osteoblasts were found on enzymatically degraded biopolymer composite films with α-tricalcium phosphate and nanohydroxyapatite. No cytotoxicity of composite films prepared from lysozyme degraded scaffolds containing a large fraction of low molecular weight chitosans (LMWC), was revealed after 10 days of cultivation. Contrary to above in the higher cytotoxicity origin untreated nanohydroxyapatite films and porous composite scaffolds. The results showed that the synergistic effect of surface distribution, morphology of nanohydroxyapatite particles, microtopography and the presence of LMWC due to chitosan degradation in composite films were responsible for compensation of the cytotoxicity of nanohydroxyapatite composite films or porous composite scaffolds.

  14. Novel pH- and temperature-responsive blend hydrogel microspheres of sodium alginate and PNIPAAm-g-GG for controlled release of isoniazid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kajjari, Praveen B; Manjeshwar, Lata S; Aminabhavi, Tejraj M

    2012-12-01

    This paper reports the preparation and characterization of novel pH- and thermo-responsive blend hydrogel microspheres of sodium alginate (NaAlg) and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)(PNIPAAm)-grafted-guar gum (GG) i.e., PNIPAAm-g-GG by emulsion cross-linking method using glutaraldehyde (GA) as a cross-linker. Isoniazid (INZ) was chosen as the model antituberculosis drug to achieve encapsulation up to 62%. INZ has a plasma half-life of 1.5 h, whose release was extended up to 12 h. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to confirm the grafting reaction and chemical stability of INZ during the encapsulation. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to investigate the drug's physical state, while powder X-ray diffraction confirmed the molecular level dispersion of INZ in the matrix. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed varying surface morphologies of the drug-loaded microspheres. Temperature- and pH-responsive nature of the blend hydrogel microspheres were investigated by equilibrium swelling, and in vitro release experiments were performed in pH 1.2 and pH 7.4 buffer media at 37°C as well as at 25°C. Kinetics of INZ release was analyzed by Ritger-Peppas empirical equation to compute the diffusional exponent parameter (n), whose value ranged between 0.27 and 0.58, indicating the release of INZ follows a diffusion swelling controlled release mechanism.

  15. Implementation of chitosan inductively modified by γ-rays copolymerization with acrylamide in the decontamination of aqueous basic dye solution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R.O. Aly

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The modification induced by gamma rays for the natural polymer, chitosan, was established using the monomer acrylamide. The hydrogel obtained was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and the thermal properties were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA. The effect of absorbed dose (kGy and chitosan:acrylamide ratio on the gel % was studied. The impact of the polymerization variables was observed on the swelling % of the prepared hydrogel with water. The highest equilibrium degree of swelling of the prepared chitosan–AAm hydrogel, 380 g/g was predicted at 75% AAm and absorbed dose of 10 kGy for 97.7% gel. The removal of the basic blue dye (Astrazone Blue BG-200% from aqueous solutions was discussed. The adsorption capacity of basic dye on chitosan–AAm increased from 24.5 to 47.2 mg/g by increasing pH from 4.0 to 9.0. The effect of pH, absorbed dose, chitosan:AAm ratio and the concentration of the dye on the effectiveness of the adsorption process was studied.

  16. Nanofiber-structured hydrogel yarns with pH-response capacity and cardiomyocyte-drivability for bio-microactuator application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Shaohua; Duan, Bin; Qin, Xiaohong; Butcher, Jonathan T

    2017-09-15

    Polymeric hydrogels have great potential in soft biological micro-actuator applications. However, inappropriate micro-architecture, non-anisotropy, weak biomechanics, and inferior response behaviors limit their development. In this study, we designed and manufactured novel polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based hydrogel yarns composed with uniaxially aligned nanofibers. The nanofibrous hydrogel yarns possessed anisotropic architecture and robust mechanical properties with flexibility, and could be assembled into defined scaffold structures by subsequent processes. The as-prepared hydrogel yarns showed excellent pH response behaviors, with around 100% maximum length and 900% maximum diameter changes, and the pH response was completed within several seconds. Moreover, the hydrogel yarns displayed unique cell-responsive abilities to promote the cell adhesion, proliferation, and smooth muscle differentiation of human adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (HADMSC). Chicken cardiomyocytes were further seeded onto our nanofibrous hydrogel yarns to engineer living cell-based microactuators. Our results demonstrated that the uniaxially aligned nanofibrous networks within the hydrogel yarns were the key characteristics leading to the anisotropic organization of cardiac cells, and improved sarcomere organization, mimicking the cardiomyocyte bundles in the native myocardium. The construct is capable of sustaining spontaneous cardiomyocyte pumping behaviors for 7days. Our PAN-based nanofibrous hydrogel yarns are attractive for creating linear microactuators with pH-response capacity and biological microactuators with cardiomyocyte-drivability. A mechanically robust polyacrylonitrile-based nanofibrous hydrogel yarn is fabricated by using a modified electrospinning setup in combination with chemical modification processes. The as-prepared hydrogel yarn possesses a uniaxially aligned nanofiber microarchitecture and supports a rapid, pH-dependent expansion/contraction response within a few

  17. Mechano-responsive hydrogels crosslinked by reactive block copolymer micelles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Longxi

    Hydrogels are crosslinked polymeric networks that can swell in water without dissolution. Owing to their structural similarity to the native extracelluar matrices, hydrogels have been widely used in biomedical applications. Synthetic hydrogels have been designed to respond to various stimuli, but mechanical signals have not incorporated into hydrogel matrices. Because most tissues in the body are subjected to various types of mechanical forces, and cells within these tissues have sophisticated mechano-transduction machinery, this thesis is focused on developing hydrogel materials with built-in mechano-sensing mechanisms for use as tissue engineering scaffolds or drug release devices. Self-assembled block copolymer micelles (BCMs) with reactive handles were employed as the nanoscopic crosslinkers for the construction of covalently crosslinked networks. BCMs were assembled from amphiphilic diblock copolymers of poly(n-butyl acrylate) and poly(acrylic acid) partially modified with acrylate. Radical polymerization of acrylamide in the presence of micellar crosslinkers gave rise to elastomeric hydrogels whose mechanical properties can be tuned by varying the BCM composition and concentration. TEM imaging revealed that the covalently integrated BCMs underwent strain-dependent reversible deformation. A model hydrophobic drug, pyrene, loaded into the core of BCMs prior to the hydrogel formation, was dynamically released in response to externally applied mechanical forces, through force-induced reversible micelle deformation and the penetration of water molecules into the micelle core. The mechano-responsive hydrogel has been studied for tissue repair and regeneration purposes. Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA)-modified hyaluronic acid (HA) was photochemically crosslinked in the presence of dexamethasone (DEX)-loaded crosslinkable BCMs. The resultant HA gels (HAxBCM) contain covalently integrated micellar compartments with DEX being sequestered in the hydrophobic core. Compared

  18. Chitosan, the Marine Functional Food, Is a Potent Adsorbent of Humic Acid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chao-Lin Liu

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Chitosan is prepared by the deacetylation of chitin, the second-most abundant biopolymer in nature, and has applicability in the removal of dyes, heavy metals and radioactive waste for pollution control. In weight-reduction remedies, chitosan is used to form hydrogels with lipids and to depress the intestinal absorption of lipids. In this study, an experimental method was implemented to simulate the effect of chitosan on the adsorption of humic acid in the gastrointestinal tract. The adsorption capacity of chitosan was measured by its adsorption isotherm and analyzed using the Langmuir equation. The results showed that 3.3 grams of humic acid was absorbed by 1 gram of chitosan. The adsorption capacity of chitosan was much greater than that of chitin, diethylaminoethyl-cellulose or activated charcoal. Cellulose and carboxymethyl-cellulose, a cellulose derivative with a negative charge, could not adsorb humic acid in the gastrointestinal tract. This result suggests that chitosan entraps humic acid because of its positive charge.

  19. Advances in the Fabrication of Antimicrobial Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmen M. González-Henríquez

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available This review describes, in an organized manner, the recent developments in the elaboration of hydrogels that possess antimicrobial activity. The fabrication of antibacterial hydrogels for biomedical applications that permits cell adhesion and proliferation still remains as an interesting challenge, in particular for tissue engineering applications. In this context, a large number of studies has been carried out in the design of hydrogels that serve as support for antimicrobial agents (nanoparticles, antibiotics, etc.. Another interesting approach is to use polymers with inherent antimicrobial activity provided by functional groups contained in their structures, such as quaternary ammonium salt or hydrogels fabricated from antimicrobial peptides (AMPs or natural polymers, such as chitosan. A summary of the different alternatives employed for this purpose is described in this review, considering their advantages and disadvantages. Finally, more recent methodologies that lead to more sophisticated hydrogels that are able to react to external stimuli are equally depicted in this review.

  20. Thermo-responsive wound dressings by grafting chitosan and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) to plasma-induced graft polymerization modified non-woven fabrics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Jyh-Ping; Kuo, Chang-Yi; Lee, Wen-Li

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and chitosan were grafted to polypropylene non-wovens. ► An easily stripped off thermo-responsive wound dressing was developed. ► The wound dressing is biocompatible, has antibacterial and wound healing abilities. ► The bigraft non-woven will be a potential wound dressing for biomedical use. - Abstract: To obtain a chitosan wound dressings with temperature-responsive characteristics, polypropylene (PP) non-woven fabric (NWF) was modified by direct current pulsed oxygen plasma-induced grafting polymerization of acrylic acid (AAc) to improve hydrophilicity and to introduce carboxylic acid groups. Conjugation of chitosan and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) followed by using water-soluble carbodiimide as a coupling agent to form a novel bigraft PP-g-chitosan-g-PNIPAAm wound dressing. The amount of chitosan and PNIPAAm grafted to PP-g-chitosan-g-PNIPAAm were 83.0 ± 4.6 μg/cm 2 and 189.5 ± 8.2 μg/cm 2 , respectively. The surface chemical composition and microstructure of the NWF were studied by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The linkages between AAc, chitosan, and PNIPAAm were confirmed with the formation of amide bonds. Physical properties of the NWF were characterized and potentials of these NWFs as wound dressings were evaluated using SD rat as the animal model. NWFs contained PNIPAAm were better than those contained only chitosan in wound healing rates and the wound areas covered by PP-g-chitosan-g-PNIPAAm wound dressings healed completely in 17 days.

  1. The impact of preparation parameters on typical attributes of chitosan-heparin nanohydrogels: particle size, loading efficiency, and drug release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahbazi, Mohammad-Ali; Hamidi, Mehrdad

    2013-11-01

    Today, developing an optimized nanoparticle (NP) preparation procedure is of paramount importance in all nanoparticulate drug delivery researches, leading to expanding more operative and clinically validated nanomedicines. In this study, a one-at-a-time experimental approach was used for evaluating the effect of various preparation factors on size, loading, and drug release of hydrogel NPs prepared with ionotropic gelation between heparin and chitosan. The size, loading efficiency (LE) and drug release profile of the NPs were evaluated when the chitosan molecular weight, chitosan concentration, heparin addition time to chitosan solution, heparin concentration, pH value of chitosan solution, temperature, and mixing rate were changed separately while other factors were in optimum condition. The results displayed that size and LE are highly influenced by chitosan concentration, getting an optimum of 63 ± 0.57 and 75.19 ± 2.65, respectively, when chitosan concentration was 0.75 mg/ml. Besides, heparin addition time of 3 min leaded to 74.1 ± 0.79 % LE with no sensible effect on size and release profile. In addition, pH 5.5 showed a minimum size of 63 ± 1.87, maximum LE of 73.81 ± 3.13 and the slowest drug release with 63.71 ± 3.84 % during one week. Although LE was not affected by temperature, size and release reduced to 63 ± 0 and 74.21 ± 1.99% when temperature increased from 25°C to 55°C. Also, continuous increase of mixer rate from 500 to 3500 rpm resulted in constant enhancement of LE from 58.3 ± 3.6 to 74.4 ± 2.59 as well as remarkable decrease in size from 148 ± 4.88 to 63 ± 2.64.

  2. Grafting of GMA and some comonomers onto chitosan for controlled release of diclofenac sodium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Rajeev Kr; Lalita; Singh, Anirudh P; Chauhan, Ghanshyam S

    2014-03-01

    In order to develop pH sensitive hydrogels for controlled drug release we have graft copolymerized glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) with comonomers acrylic acid, acrylamide and acrylonitrile, onto chitosan (Ch) by using potassium persulphate (KPS) as free radical initiator in aqueous solution. The optimum percent grafting for GMA was recorded for 1g chitosan at [KPS]=25.00 × 10(-3)mol/L, [GMA]=0.756 × 10(-3)mol/L, reaction temperature=60 °C and reaction time=1h in 20 mL H2O. Binary monomers were grafted for five different concentrations at optimum grafting conditions evaluated for GMA alone onto chitosan. The graft copolymers were characterized by FTIR, XRD, TGA and SEM. The swelling properties of chitosan and graft copolymers were investigated at different pH to define their end uses in sustained release of an anti-inflammatory drug, diclofenac sodium. Percent drug release w.r.t. drug loaded in polymeric sample was studied as function of time in buffer solutions of pH 2.0 and 7.4. In vitro release data was analyzed using Fick's Law. Chitosan grafted with binary monomers, GMA-co-AAm and GMA-co-AN showed very good results for sustained release of drug at 7.4 pH. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Supramolecular Chitosan Micro-Platelets Synergistically Enhance Anti-Candida albicans Activity of Amphotericin B Using an Immunocompetent Murine Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grisin, Tiphany; Bories, Christian; Bombardi, Martina; Loiseau, Philippe M; Rouffiac, Valérie; Solgadi, Audrey; Mallet, Jean-Maurice; Ponchel, Gilles; Bouchemal, Kawthar

    2017-05-01

    The aim of this work is to design new chitosan conjugates able to self-organize in aqueous solution in the form of micrometer-size platelets. When mixed with amphotericin B deoxycholate (AmB-DOC), micro-platelets act as a drug booster allowing further improvement in AmB-DOC anti-Candida albicans activity. Micro-platelets were obtained by mixing oleoyl chitosan and α-cyclodextrin in water. The formulation is specifically-engineered for mucosal application by dispersing chitosan micro-platelets into thermosensitive pluronic ® F127 20 wt% hydrogel. The formulation completely cured C. albicans vaginal infection in mice and had a superior activity in comparison with AmB-DOC without addition of chitosan micro-platelets. In vitro studies showed that the platelets significantly enhance AmB-DOC antifungal activity since the IC 50 and the MIC 90 decrease 4.5 and 4.8-times. Calculation of fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI = 0.198) showed that chitosan micro-platelets act in a synergistic way with AmB-DOC against C. albicans. No synergy is found between spherical nanoparticles composed poly(isobutylcyanoacrylate)/chitosan and AmB-DOC. These results demonstrate for the first time the ability of flattened chitosan micro-platelets to have synergistic activity with AmB-DOC against C. albicans candidiasis and highlight the importance of rheological and mucoadhesive behaviors of hydrogels in the efficacy of the treatment.

  4. Gentamicin-Loaded Thermosetting Hydrogel and Moldable Composite Scaffold: Formulation Study and Biologic Evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dorati, Rossella; De Trizio, Antonella; Genta, Ida; Merelli, Alessia; Modena, Tiziana; Conti, Bice

    2017-06-01

    The aim was to design biodegradable drug delivery systems for gentamicin local delivery, meanwhile acting as scaffold for bone regeneration. Gentamicin-loaded thermosetting composite hydrogels were prepared combining chitosan with bovine bone substitutes (Orthoss® granules), beta-glycerophosphate as cross-linker, and lyophilized to obtain moldable composite scaffolds (moldable composite scaffold loaded with gentamicin [mCSG]). Diverse techniques for gentamicin loading into mCS were investigated by drug incorporation during hydrogel preparation or drug absorption on preformed mCS. Rheologic hydrogel characterization was performed. mCSGs were characterized for porosity, stability (water retention, water uptake), gentamicin release, cell seeding and proliferation, and antimicrobial effect on Escherichia coli ATCC 10356. Results show suitable gentamicin loadings were 4 mg in 1 mL thermosetting composite hydrogel starting solution, irreversible hydrogel thermosetting behavior, and cosolute effect of gentamicin on sol-gel transition. Positive results in terms of porosity (80%-86%), scaffold water uptake, and retention capability were obtained. Antibiotic in vitro release was completed in 4 h. Good cell seeding results were observed for mCSG1-5; mCSG3 and mCSG5 resulted the best as cell proliferation results. mCSG exerted bactericidal effect for 24 h, with superimposition of chitosan bacteriostatic effect in the first 4 h. The results lead to consider the drug delivery for reducing infection risk during bone open surgeries. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Polymer hydrogels as optimized delivery systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Batista, Jorge G.S.; Varca, Gustavo H.C.; Ferraz, Caroline C.; Garrido, Gabriela P.; Diniz, Bruna M.; Carvalho, Vinicius S.; Lugao, Ademar B.

    2013-01-01

    Hydrogels are formed by polymers capable of absorbing large quantities of water. They consist of one or more three-dimensionally structured polymer networks formed by macromolecular chains linked by covalent bonds-crosslinks - and physical interactions. The application of hydrogels, has been widely studied. Biodegradable synthetic or natural polymers such as chitosan, starch and poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid, have properties that allow the development of biodegradable systems for drug and nutraceutics delivery. This study aimed to develop polymeric hydrogels based on polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide and polyvinylpyrrolidone using ionizing radiation in order to develop hydrogels for improved loading and release of compounds. Polymer solutions were solubilized in water and poured into thermoformed packages. After sealing, the material was subjected to γ-irradiation at 25kGy. The samples were assayed by means of mechanical properties, gel fraction and swelling degree. Nanostructure characterization was performed using Flory's equation to determine crosslinking density. The systems developed showed swelling degree and adequate mechanical resistance. The nanostructure evaluation showed different results for each system demonstrating the need of choosing the polymer based on the specific properties of each material. (author)

  6. Polymer hydrogels as optimized delivery systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Batista, Jorge G.S.; Varca, Gustavo H.C.; Ferraz, Caroline C.; Garrido, Gabriela P.; Diniz, Bruna M.; Carvalho, Vinicius S.; Lugao, Ademar B., E-mail: jorgegabriel@usp.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2013-07-01

    Hydrogels are formed by polymers capable of absorbing large quantities of water. They consist of one or more three-dimensionally structured polymer networks formed by macromolecular chains linked by covalent bonds-crosslinks - and physical interactions. The application of hydrogels, has been widely studied. Biodegradable synthetic or natural polymers such as chitosan, starch and poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid, have properties that allow the development of biodegradable systems for drug and nutraceutics delivery. This study aimed to develop polymeric hydrogels based on polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide and polyvinylpyrrolidone using ionizing radiation in order to develop hydrogels for improved loading and release of compounds. Polymer solutions were solubilized in water and poured into thermoformed packages. After sealing, the material was subjected to γ-irradiation at 25kGy. The samples were assayed by means of mechanical properties, gel fraction and swelling degree. Nanostructure characterization was performed using Flory's equation to determine crosslinking density. The systems developed showed swelling degree and adequate mechanical resistance. The nanostructure evaluation showed different results for each system demonstrating the need of choosing the polymer based on the specific properties of each material. (author)

  7. Synthesis of PVA/PVP hydrogels having two-layer by radiation and their physical properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, K.R.; Nho, Y.C.

    2003-01-01

    In these studies, two-layer hydrogels which consisted of polyurethane membrane and a mixture of polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)/poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone(PVP)/glycerin/chitosan were made for the wound dressing. Polyurethane was dissolved in solvent, the polyurethane solution was poured on the mould, and then dried to make the thin membrane. Hydrophilic polymer solutions were poured on the polyurethane membranes, they were exposed to gamma irradiation or two steps of 'freezing and thawing' and gamma irradiation doses to make the hydrogels. The physical properties such as gelation, water absorptivity, and gel strength were examined to evaluate the hydrogels for wound dressing. The physical properties of hydrogels such as gelation and gel strength was greatly improved when polyurethane membrane was used as a covering layer of hydrogel, and the evaporation speed of water in hydrogel was reduced

  8. A soft tissue adhesive based on aldehyde-sodium alginate and amino-carboxymethyl chitosan preparation through the Schiff reaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yu; Yuan, Liu; Sheng, Nai-an; Gu, Zi-qi; Feng, Wen-hao; Yin, Hai-yue; Morsi, Yosry; Mo, Xiu-mei

    2017-09-01

    Sodium alginate and carboxymethyl chitosan have been extensively applied in tissue engineering and other relative fields due to their low price and excellent biocompatibility. In this paper, we oxidized sodium alginate with sodium periodate to convert 1,2-hydroxyl groups into aldehyde groups to get aldehyde-sodium alginate (ASA). Carboxymethyl chitosan was modified with ethylenediamine (ED) in the presence of water-soluble N-(3-Dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) to introduce additional amino groups to get amino-carboxymethyl chitosan (A-CS). Upon mixing the A-SA and A-CS aqueous solutions together, a gel rapidly formed based on the Schiff's base reaction between aldehyde groups in A-SA and amino groups in A-CS. FTIR analysis confirmed the characteristic peak of Schiff's base group in the hydrogel. It was confirmed that the gelation time be dependent on the aldehyde group content in A-SA and amino group content in A-CS. The fasted hydrogel formation takes place within 10 min. The data of bonding strength and cytotoxicity measurement also showed that the hydrogel had good adhesion and biocompatibility. All these results support that this gel has the potential as soft tissue adhesive.

  9. Preparation of poly(acrylic acid)-chitosan hydrogels by gamma irradiation for metal ions sorption

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tran Thu Hong; Le Hai; Nguyen Tan Man; Tran Thi Tam; Pham Thi Le Ha; Pham Thi Sam; Nguyen Duy Hang; Le Huu Tu; Le Van Toan

    2013-01-01

    Acid acrylic (AAc) was grafted onto crosslinked chitosan to make Chitosan-g-AAc copolymer with concentration of AAc from 0.5 to 15% by gamma irradiation. The optimal dose for grafting of 15% AAc onto chitosan was 5 kGy. Physical and chemical properties of irradiated samples such as SEM images, FTIR spectroscopy, TGA and swelling behavior at different pHs were evaluated. The grafting yield increased with the increase in dose, it reached 52% at 7 kGy irradiation dose. The application were grafted materials to adsorb metals ion from aqueous solutions was also investigated with both ungrafted and grafted chitosan beads under changing pH from 3 to 6. Grafted chitosan presented higher sorption capacity for most of metal ions than unmodified chitosan. (author)

  10. Radiation synthesis of stimuli-responsive membranes, hydrogels and adsorbents for separation purposes. Final report of a coordinated research project 2000-2004

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2005-08-01

    This coordinated research project coordinated research work for the development of novel materials prepared by radiation processing techniques. Single and multi-pore polyamide membranes, fast thermo-responsive hydrogels, porous polymer monoliths, stimuli-responsive hydrogels based on natural and synthetic polymers, temperature responsive membranes, selective adsorbents, polymeric nanogels and novel non-ionic thermo-sensitive hydrogels were produced. The application areas explored for beneficially utilizing these novel materials included specialized drug delivery systems (DDS), selective adsorbents, nanopores for single molecule detection, membranes for separation and concentration of solutes, health care and remediation of environmental pollution. The report provides basic information on radiation processing and promotes experience exchange for further developments of radiation technology. Protocols and procedures of preparation of various stimuli responsive membranes and their actual and perspective applications are described in the report. Public awareness and technology acceptance are other factors to be considered for further dissemination. This publication summarizes the present status and the prospects of this technology

  11. Low-temperature fabrication of 3D drilled graphene sheets hydrogel for supercapacitors with ultralong cycle life

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiu, Zenghui; He, Dawei; Wang, Yongsheng; Li, Jiayuan

    2017-09-01

    A simple cobalt catalyzed gasification strategy to synthesize drilled graphene sheets (DGNs) is performed, and 3D DGNs hydrogel is prepared at a relatively low temperature. Due to mesopore hydrogel structure that increases the charge transfer efficiency by providing pathways for ionic into the overlaps of DGNs hydrogel and hole density displays controllably, the resulting DGNs hydrogel electrode provides excellent rate capability with an ultrahigh specific capacitance of 264.1 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 compared to a value of 187.8 F g-1 for graphene sheets (GNs) pole. DGNs hydrogel expands the design space for developing high-performance energy storage devices.

  12. An interfacially plasticized electro-responsive hydrogel for transdermal electro-activated and modulated (TEAM) drug delivery

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Indermun, S.; Choonara, Y.E.; Kumar, Pradeep; Toit, Du L.C.; Modi, G.; Luttge, R.; Pillay, V.

    2014-01-01

    This paper highlights the use of hydrogels in controlled drug delivery, and their application in stimuli responsive, especially electro-responsive, drug release. electro-conductive hydrogels (ECHs) displaying electro-responsive drug release were synthesized from semi-interpenetrating networks

  13. Assessment of chitosan-affected metabolic response by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor bioluminescent imaging-guided transcriptomic analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chia-Hung Kao

    Full Text Available Chitosan has been widely used in food industry as a weight-loss aid and a cholesterol-lowering agent. Previous studies have shown that chitosan affects metabolic responses and contributes to anti-diabetic, hypocholesteremic, and blood glucose-lowering effects; however, the in vivo targeting sites and mechanisms of chitosan remain to be clarified. In this study, we constructed transgenic mice, which carried the luciferase genes driven by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR, a key regulator of fatty acid and glucose metabolism. Bioluminescent imaging of PPAR transgenic mice was applied to report the organs that chitosan acted on, and gene expression profiles of chitosan-targeted organs were further analyzed to elucidate the mechanisms of chitosan. Bioluminescent imaging showed that constitutive PPAR activities were detected in brain and gastrointestinal tract. Administration of chitosan significantly activated the PPAR activities in brain and stomach. Microarray analysis of brain and stomach showed that several pathways involved in lipid and glucose metabolism were regulated by chitosan. Moreover, the expression levels of metabolism-associated genes like apolipoprotein B (apoB and ghrelin genes were down-regulated by chitosan. In conclusion, these findings suggested the feasibility of PPAR bioluminescent imaging-guided transcriptomic analysis on the evaluation of chitosan-affected metabolic responses in vivo. Moreover, we newly identified that downregulated expression of apoB and ghrelin genes were novel mechanisms for chitosan-affected metabolic responses in vivo.

  14. Carboxylic Terminated Thermo-Responsive Copolymer Hydrogel and Improvement in Peptide Release Profile

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zi-Kun Rao

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available To improve the release profile of peptide drugs, thermos-responsive triblock copolymer poly (ε-caprolactone-co-p-dioxanone-b-poly (ethylene glycol-b-poly (ε-caprolactone-co-p-dioxanone (PECP was prepared and end capped by succinic anhydride to give its carboxylic terminated derivative. Both PCEP block copolymer and its end group modified derivative showed temperature-dependent reversible sol-gel transition in water. The carboxylic end group could significantly decrease the sol-gel transition temperature by nearly 10 °C and strengthen the gel due to enhanced intermolecular force among triblock copolymer chains. Furthermore, compared with the original PECP triblock copolymer, HOOC–PECP–COOH copolymer displayed a retarded and sustained release profile for leuprorelin acetate over one month while effectively avoiding the initial burst. The controlled release was believed to be related to the formation of conjugated copolymer-peptide pair by ionic interaction and enhanced solubility of drug molecules into the hydrophobic domains of the hydrogel. Therefore, carboxyl terminated HOOC–PECP–COOH hydrogel was a promising and well-exhibited sustained release carrier for peptide drugs with the advantage of being able to develop injectable formulation by simple mixing.

  15. Morphing hydrogel patterns by thermo-reversible fluorescence switching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bat, Erhan; Lin, En-Wei; Saxer, Sina; Maynard, Heather D

    2014-07-01

    Stimuli responsive surfaces that show reversible fluorescence switching behavior in response to temperature changes were fabricated. Oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate thermoresponsive polymers with amine end-groups were prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The polymers were patterned on silicon surfaces by electron beam (e-beam) lithography, followed by conjugation of self-quenching fluorophores. Fluorophore conjugated hydrogel thin films were bright when the gels were swollen; upon temperature-induced collapse of the gels, self-quenching of the fluorophores led to significant attenuation of fluorescence. Importantly, the fluorescence was regained when the temperature was cooled. The fluorescence switching behavior of the hydrogels for up to ten cycles was investigated and the swelling-collapse was verified by atomic force microscopy. Morphing surfaces that change shape several times upon increase in temperature were obtained by patterning multiple stimuli responsive polymers. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. Fast-responsive hydrogel as an injectable pump for rapid on-demand fluidic flow control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Rongcong; Dinh, Ngoc-Duy; Chen, Chia-Hung

    2017-05-01

    Chemically synthesized functional hydrogels have been recognized as optimized soft pumps for on-demand fluidic regulation in micro-systems. However, the challenges regarding the slow responses of hydrogels have very much limited their application in effective fluidic flow control. In this study, a heterobifunctional crosslinker (4-hydroxybutyl acrylate)-enabled two-step hydrothermal phase separation process for preparing a highly porous hydrogel with fast response dynamics was investigated for the fabrication of novel microfluidic functional units, such as injectable valves and pumps. The cylinder-shaped hydrogel, with a diameter of 9 cm and a height of 2.5 cm at 25 °C, achieved a size reduction of approximately 70% in less than 30 s after the hydrogels were heated at 40 °C. By incorporating polypyrrole nanoparticles as photothermal transducers, a photo-responsive composite hydrogel was approached and exhibited a remotely triggerable fluidic regulation and pumping ability to generate significant flows, showing on-demand water-in-oil droplet generation by laser switching, whereby the droplet size could be tuned by adjusting the laser intensity and irradiation period with programmable manipulation.

  17. Thiol functionalized polymethacrylic acid-based hydrogel microparticles for oral insulin delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sajeesh, S; Vauthier, C; Gueutin, C; Ponchel, G; Sharma, Chandra P

    2010-08-01

    In the present study thiol functionalized polymethacrylic acid-polyethylene glycol-chitosan (PCP)-based hydrogel microparticles were utilized to develop an oral insulin delivery system. Thiol modification was achieved by grafting cysteine to the activated surface carboxyl groups of PCP hydrogels (Cys-PCP). Swelling and insulin loading/release experiments were conducted on these particles. The ability of these particles to inhibit protease enzymes was evaluated under in vitro experimental conditions. Insulin transport experiments were performed on Caco-2 cell monolayers and excised intestinal tissue with an Ussing chamber set-up. Finally, the efficacy of insulin-loaded particles in reducing the blood glucose level in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats was investigated. Thiolated hydrogel microparticles showed less swelling and had a lower insulin encapsulation efficiency as compared with unmodified PCP particles. PCP and Cys-PCP microparticles were able to inhibit protease enzymes under in vitro conditions. Thiolation was an effective strategy to improve insulin absorption across Caco-2 cell monolayers, however, the effect was reduced in the experiments using excised rat intestinal tissue. Nevertheless, functionalized microparticles were more effective in eliciting a pharmacological response in diabetic animal, as compared with unmodified PCP microparticles. From these studies thiolation of hydrogel microparticles seems to be a promising approach to improve oral delivery of proteins/peptides. Copyright 2010 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Synthesis and characterization of a new photo-crosslinkable glycol chitosan thermogel for biomedical applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, Ik Sung; Cho, Myeong Ok; Li, Zhengzheng; Nurunnabi, Md; Park, Sung Young; Kang, Sun-Woong; Huh, Kang Moo

    2016-06-25

    The major limitations of typical thermogelling polymers for practical applications are low gel stability and weak mechanical properties under physiological conditions. In this study, we have synthesized a new polysaccharide-based thermogelling polymer that can be photo-crosslinked by UV irradiation to form a mechanically resilient and elastic hydrogel. Methacrylated hexanoyl glycol chitosan (M-HGC), was synthesized by a series of chemical modifications, N-hexanoylation and N-methacrylation, of glycol chitosan (GC). Various M-HGC polymers with different methacryl group contents were synthesized and their thermogelling and photo-crosslinkable properties were evaluated. The M-HGCs demonstrated a thermo-reversible sol-gel transition behavior in aqueous solutions. The thermally-induced hydrogels could be chemically crosslinked by UV-triggered photo-crosslinking. From the cytotoxicity studies using MTT and the live/dead assay, the M-HGC hydrogels showed non-cytotoxicity. These photo-crosslinkable thermogelling M-HGC polymers may hold great promises for various biomedical applications, such as an injectable delivery system and 3D cell culture. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Three-Dimensional Bioprinting of Oppositely Charged Hydrogels with Super Strong Interface Bonding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Huijun; Tan, Yu Jun; Liu, Sijun; Li, Lin

    2018-04-04

    A novel strategy to improve the adhesion between printed layers of three-dimensional (3D) printed constructs is developed by exploiting the interaction between two oppositely charged hydrogels. Three anionic hydrogels [alginate, xanthan, and κ-carrageenan (Kca)] and three cationic hydrogels [chitosan, gelatin, and gelatin methacrylate (GelMA)] are chosen to find the optimal combination of two oppositely charged hydrogels for the best 3D printability with strong interface bonding. Rheological properties and printability of the hydrogels, as well as structural integrity of printed constructs in cell culture medium, are studied as functions of polymer concentration and the combination of hydrogels. Kca2 (2 wt % Kca hydrogel) and GelMA10 (10 wt % GelMA hydrogel) are found to be the best combination of oppositely charged hydrogels for 3D printing. The interfacial bonding between a Kca layer and a GelMA layer is proven to be significantly higher than that of the bilayered Kca or bilayered GelMA because of the formation of polyelectrolyte complexes between the oppositely charged hydrogels. A good cell viability of >96% is obtained for the 3D-bioprinted Kca-GelMA construct. This novel strategy has a great potential for 3D bioprinting of layered constructs with a strong interface bonding.

  20. Mechanical Properties, Cytocompatibility and Manufacturability of Chitosan:PEGDA Hybrid-Gel Scaffolds by Stereolithography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morris, Viola B; Nimbalkar, Siddharth; Younesi, Mousa; McClellan, Phillip; Akkus, Ozan

    2017-01-01

    Extracellular matrix mimetic hydrogels which hybridize synthetic and natural polymers offer molecularly-tailored, bioactive properties and tunable mechanical strength. In addition, 3D bioprinting by stereolithography allows fabrication of internal pores and defined macroscopic shapes. In this study, we formulated a hybrid biocompatible resin using natural and synthetic polymers (chitosan and polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA), respectively) by controlling molecular weight of chitosan, feed-ratios, and photo-initiator concentration. Ear-shaped, hybrid scaffolds were fabricated by a stereolithographic method using a 405 nm laser. Hybrid hydrogel scaffolds of chitosan (50-190 kDa) and PEGDA (575 Da) were mixed at varying feed-ratios. Some of the cationic, amino groups of chitosan were neutralized by dialysis in acidic solution containing chitosan in excess of sodium acetate solution to inhibit quenching of newly formed photoradicals. A feed-ratio of 1:7.5 was found to be the most appropriate of the formulations considered in this study in terms of mechanical properties, cell adhesion, and printability. The biofabricated hybrid scaffold showed interconnected, homogeneous pores with a nominal pore size of 50 µm and an elastic modulus of ~400 kPa. Moreover, long-term cell viability and cell spreading was observed via actin filament staining. Printability of the biocompatible resin was confirmed by printing thresholded MR images of an ear and the feed ratio of 1:7.5 provided the most faithful reproduction of the shape. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of stereolithographic printing hybridizing cell-adhesive properties of chitosan with mechanical robustness of PEG in scaffolds suitable for repair of complex tissue geometries, such as those of the human ear.

  1. Structural coloration of chitosan-cationized cotton fabric using photonic crystals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yavuz, G.; Zille, A.; Seventekin, N.; Souto, A. P.

    2017-10-01

    In this work, poly (styrene-methyl methacrylate-acrylic acid) P(St-MMA-AA) composite nanospheres were deposited onto chitosan-cationized woven cotton fabrics followed by a second layer of chitosan. The deposited photonic crystals (PCs) on the fabrics were evaluated for coating efficiency and resistance, chemical analysis and color variation by optical and SEM microscopy, ATR-FTIR, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and washing fastness. Chitosan deposition on cotton fabric provided cationic groups on the fiber surface promoting electrostatic interaction with photonic crystals. SEM images of the washed samples indicate that the PCs are firmly coated on the cotton surface only in the chitosan treated sample. The photonic nanospheres show an average diameter of 280 nm and display a face-centered cubic closepacking structure with an average thickness of 10 μm. A further chitosan post-treatment enhances color yield of the samples due to the chitosan transparent covering layer that induce bright reflections where the angles of incidence and reflection are the same. After washing, no photonic crystal can be detected on control fabric surface. However, the sample that received a chitosan post-treatment showed a good washing fastness maintaining a reasonable degree of iridescence. Chitosan fills the spaces between the polymer spheres in the matrix stabilizing the photonic structure. Sizeable variations in lattice spacing will allow color variations using more flexible non-close-packed photonic crystal arrays in chitosan hydrogels matrices.

  2. Polyampholyte hydrogel electrolytes for flexible and self-healing aqueous supercapacitor for low temperature applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, Hyun-Joong; Li, Xinda

    Quenched polyampholytes provide a novel class of tough hydrogel that has self-healing ability, strong adhesion, and mechanical flexibility. In this study, we show that the polyampholyte hydrogels can be utilized as an aqueous gel electrolyte material that is especially useful for low temperature operations; at -30 °C, energy density of 10.5 Wh/kg at a power density of 500 W/kg was achieved. The high performance at the low temperature is associated to the concept of non-freezable water near the hydrophilic polymer chains. A comparison between differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements for polyampholytes that contained KOH and neat KOH solution revealed that increased amount of water molecules become non-freezable when the solution is contained in the hydrogel networks. In addition, the crosslinked network structure of the polyampholyte chains disrupts the crystalline growth of ice, resulting in `slush-like' ice formation. The interplay between the increased amount of unfrozen water and the limited growth of ice crystals leads to the enhanced supercapacitor performance at low temperatures.

  3. Genipin-Crosslinked Chitosan Gels and Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Regeneration of Cartilage and Bone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muzzarelli, Riccardo A A; El Mehtedi, Mohamad; Bottegoni, Carlo; Aquili, Alberto; Gigante, Antonio

    2015-12-11

    The present review article intends to direct attention to the technological advances made since 2009 in the area of genipin-crosslinked chitosan (GEN-chitosan) hydrogels. After a concise introduction on the well recognized characteristics of medical grade chitosan and food grade genipin, the properties of GEN-chitosan obtained with a safe, spontaneous and irreversible chemical reaction, and the quality assessment of the gels are reviewed. The antibacterial activity of GEN-chitosan has been well assessed in the treatment of gastric infections supported by Helicobacter pylori. Therapies based on chitosan alginate crosslinked with genipin include stem cell transplantation, and development of contraction free biomaterials suitable for cartilage engineering. Collagen, gelatin and other proteins have been associated to said hydrogels in view of the regeneration of the cartilage. Viability and proliferation of fibroblasts were impressively enhanced upon addition of poly-l-lysine. The modulation of the osteocytes has been achieved in various ways by applying advanced technologies such as 3D-plotting and electrospinning of biomimetic scaffolds, with optional addition of nano hydroxyapatite to the formulations. A wealth of biotechnological advances and know-how has permitted reaching outstanding results in crucial areas such as cranio-facial surgery, orthopedics and dentistry. It is mandatory to use scaffolds fully characterized in terms of porosity, pore size, swelling, wettability, compressive strength, and degree of acetylation, if the osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells is sought: in fact, the novel characteristics imparted by GEN-chitosan must be simultaneously of physico-chemical and cytological nature. Owing to their high standard, the scientific publications dated 2010-2015 have met the expectations of an interdisciplinary audience.

  4. Genipin-Crosslinked Chitosan Gels and Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Regeneration of Cartilage and Bone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Riccardo A. A. Muzzarelli

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The present review article intends to direct attention to the technological advances made since 2009 in the area of genipin-crosslinked chitosan (GEN-chitosan hydrogels. After a concise introduction on the well recognized characteristics of medical grade chitosan and food grade genipin, the properties of GEN-chitosan obtained with a safe, spontaneous and irreversible chemical reaction, and the quality assessment of the gels are reviewed. The antibacterial activity of GEN-chitosan has been well assessed in the treatment of gastric infections supported by Helicobacter pylori. Therapies based on chitosan alginate crosslinked with genipin include stem cell transplantation, and development of contraction free biomaterials suitable for cartilage engineering. Collagen, gelatin and other proteins have been associated to said hydrogels in view of the regeneration of the cartilage. Viability and proliferation of fibroblasts were impressively enhanced upon addition of poly-l-lysine. The modulation of the osteocytes has been achieved in various ways by applying advanced technologies such as 3D-plotting and electrospinning of biomimetic scaffolds, with optional addition of nano hydroxyapatite to the formulations. A wealth of biotechnological advances and know-how has permitted reaching outstanding results in crucial areas such as cranio-facial surgery, orthopedics and dentistry. It is mandatory to use scaffolds fully characterized in terms of porosity, pore size, swelling, wettability, compressive strength, and degree of acetylation, if the osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells is sought: in fact, the novel characteristics imparted by GEN-chitosan must be simultaneously of physico-chemical and cytological nature. Owing to their high standard, the scientific publications dated 2010–2015 have met the expectations of an interdisciplinary audience.

  5. Genipin-Crosslinked Chitosan Gels and Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Regeneration of Cartilage and Bone

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muzzarelli, Riccardo A. A.; El Mehtedi, Mohamad; Bottegoni, Carlo; Aquili, Alberto; Gigante, Antonio

    2015-01-01

    The present review article intends to direct attention to the technological advances made since 2009 in the area of genipin-crosslinked chitosan (GEN-chitosan) hydrogels. After a concise introduction on the well recognized characteristics of medical grade chitosan and food grade genipin, the properties of GEN-chitosan obtained with a safe, spontaneous and irreversible chemical reaction, and the quality assessment of the gels are reviewed. The antibacterial activity of GEN-chitosan has been well assessed in the treatment of gastric infections supported by Helicobacter pylori. Therapies based on chitosan alginate crosslinked with genipin include stem cell transplantation, and development of contraction free biomaterials suitable for cartilage engineering. Collagen, gelatin and other proteins have been associated to said hydrogels in view of the regeneration of the cartilage. Viability and proliferation of fibroblasts were impressively enhanced upon addition of poly-l-lysine. The modulation of the osteocytes has been achieved in various ways by applying advanced technologies such as 3D-plotting and electrospinning of biomimetic scaffolds, with optional addition of nano hydroxyapatite to the formulations. A wealth of biotechnological advances and know-how has permitted reaching outstanding results in crucial areas such as cranio-facial surgery, orthopedics and dentistry. It is mandatory to use scaffolds fully characterized in terms of porosity, pore size, swelling, wettability, compressive strength, and degree of acetylation, if the osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells is sought: in fact, the novel characteristics imparted by GEN-chitosan must be simultaneously of physico-chemical and cytological nature. Owing to their high standard, the scientific publications dated 2010–2015 have met the expectations of an interdisciplinary audience. PMID:26690453

  6. The evaluation of temperature and pH influences on equilibrium swelling of poly(n-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid hydrogels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zdravković Aleksandar S.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Hydrogels are synthesized by the method of radical polymerization of monomers: N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM and acrylic acid (AA. Characterization of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide- co-acrylic acid hydrogels, p(NIPAM/AA, has been performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, X-ray diffraction (XRD and by determination of the swelling behaviour in aqueous solutions at different temperatures (25, 31 and 37°C and pH values (2.2, 4.5, 6 and 6.8. After lyophilisation in the solution at pH 6 and temperature of 25°C, p(NIPAM/AA hydrogels have rapidly reached equilibrium degree of swelling, αe, in comparison to non-lyophilized samples. The mechanism of solvent transport within matrix in lyophilized samples corresponds to less Fickian diffusion, whereas Super case II diffusion is characteristic for non-lyophilized samples. p(NIPAM/AA hydrogel with 1.5 mol% of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDM at the temperature of 25°C and pH 6.8, has reached the highest swelling equilibrium degree, αe = 259.8. The results of swelling studies have shown that p(NIPAM/AA hydrogels can be classified as superabsorbent polymers (SAPs. For the evaluation of pH and temperature influences on synthesized hydrogels swelling, a full three-level experimental design has been used. Two-factor interaction model (2FI is the most optimal model of a full three-level experimental design for representing the swelling equilibrium degree of p(NIPAM/AA hydrogels as a function of investigated parameters, i.e., temperature and pH. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. TR-34012

  7. Autonomic composite hydrogels by reactive printing: materials and oscillatory response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kramb, R C; Buskohl, P R; Slone, C; Smith, M L; Vaia, R A

    2014-03-07

    Autonomic materials are those that automatically respond to a change in environmental conditions, such as temperature or chemical composition. While such materials hold incredible potential for a wide range of uses, their implementation is limited by the small number of fully-developed material systems. To broaden the number of available systems, we have developed a post-functionalization technique where a reactive Ru catalyst ink is printed onto a non-responsive polymer substrate. Using a succinimide-amine coupling reaction, patterns are printed onto co-polymer or biomacromolecular films containing primary amine functionality, such as polyacrylamide (PAAm) or poly-N-isopropyl acrylamide (PNIPAAm) copolymerized with poly-N-(3-Aminopropyl)methacrylamide (PAPMAAm). When the films are placed in the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) solution medium, the reaction takes place only inside the printed nodes. In comparison to alternative BZ systems, where Ru-containing monomers are copolymerized with base monomers, reactive printing provides facile tuning of a range of hydrogel compositions, as well as enabling the formation of mechanically robust composite monoliths. The autonomic response of the printed nodes is similar for all matrices in the BZ solution concentrations examined, where the period of oscillation decreases in response to increasing sodium bromate or nitric acid concentration. A temperature increase reduces the period of oscillations and temperature gradients are shown to function as pace-makers, dictating the direction of the autonomic response (chemical waves).

  8. Synthesis and Characterization of Stimuli-Responsive Poly(2-dimethylamino-ethylmethacrylate)-Grafted Chitosan Microcapsule for Controlled Pyraclostrobin Release

    OpenAIRE

    Chunli Xu; Lidong Cao; Pengyue Zhao; Zhaolu Zhou; Chong Cao; Feng Zhu; Fengmin Li; Qiliang Huang

    2018-01-01

    Controllable pesticide release in response to environmental stimuli is highly desirable for better efficacy and fewer adverse effects. Combining the merits of natural and synthetic polymers, pH and temperature dual-responsive chitosan copolymer (CS-g-PDMAEMA) was facilely prepared through free radical graft copolymerization with 2-(dimethylamino) ethyl 2-methacrylate (DMAEMA) as the vinyl monomer. An emulsion chemical cross-linking method was used to expediently fabricate pyraclostrobin micro...

  9. Radiation processed hydrogels (wound dressings) for medical applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Varshney, Lalit

    2004-01-01

    Thermal analysis plays an important role in study and development of hydrogel materials for medical applications. Thermal stability of the ingredients which is important from the point of manufacturing, rate of evaporation for shelf life evaluation, determination of gelation and temperature responsive temperatures, cooling behaviour, gel elasticity, radiation effects etc. can be studied using thermal analysis equipment like Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and thermo-mechanical analysis (TMA). In this use of these techniques in development, evaluation and quality control of hydrogel wound dressing is discussed

  10. Characterization of Responsive Hydrogel Nanoparticles upon Polyelectrolyte Complexation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Su-Kyoung Lee

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Characterization of responsive hydrogels and their interaction with other molecules have significantly expanded our understanding of the functional materials. We here report on the response of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid (pNIPAm-co-AAc nanogels to the addition of the poly(allylamine hydrochloride (PAH in aqueous dispersions. We find that the hydrodynamic radius and stability of nanogels are dependent on the PAH/nanogel stoichiometry. If the nanogel solution is titrated with very small aliquots of PAH, the nanogels decrease in radius until the equivalence point, followed by aggregation at suprastoichiometric PAH additions. Conversely, when titrated with large aliquots, the nanogel charge switches rapidly from anionic to cationic, and no aggregation is observed. This behavior correlates well with electrophoretic mobility measurements, which shows the nanogel charge transitioning from negative to positive upon PAH addition. The volume phase transition temperature (VPTT of the nanogels is also measured to discover the effect of polyelectrolyte complexation on the deswelling thermodynamics. These data show that charge neutralization upon PAH addition decreases the VPTT of the nanogel at pH 6.5. However, if an excess amount of PAH is added to the nanogel solution, the VPTT shifts back to higher temperatures due to the formation of a net positive charge in the nanogel network.

  11. Synthesis and Characterization of Injectable Hydrogels with Varying Collagen–Chitosan–Thymosin β4 Composition for Myocardial Infarction Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Achmad Dzihan Shaghiera

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Thirty percent of global mortalities are caused by cardiovascular disease, and 54% of the aforementioned amount is instigated by ischemic heart disease that triggered myocardial infarction. Myocardial infarction is due to blood flow cessation in certain coronary arteries that causes lack of oxygen (ischemia and stimulates myocardial necrosis. One of the methods to treat myocardial infarction consists in injecting cells or active biomolecules and biomaterials into heart infarction locations. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of a collagen–chitosan-based hydrogel with variations in its chitosan composition. The prepared hydrogels contained thymosin β4 (Tβ4, a 43-amino acid peptide with angiogenic and cardioprotective properties which can act as a bioactive molecule for the treatment of myocardial infarction. A morphological structure analysis showed that the hydrogels lacked interconnecting pores. All samples were not toxic on the basis of a cytotoxicity test. A histopathological anatomy test showed that the collagen–chitosan–thymosin β4 hydrogels could stimulate angiogenesis and epicardial heart cell migration, as demonstrated by the evaluation of the number of blood vessels and the infiltration extent of myofibroblasts.

  12. Fabrication of Multiple-Layered Hydrogel Scaffolds with Elaborate Structure and Good Mechanical Properties via 3D Printing and Ionic Reinforcement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaotong; Wei, Changzheng; Cao, Bin; Jiang, Lixia; Hou, Yongtai; Chang, Jiang

    2018-05-30

    A major challenge in three-dimensional (3D) printing of hydrogels is the fabrication of stable constructs with high precision and good mechanical properties and biocompatibility. Existing methods typically feature complicated reinforcement steps or use potentially toxic components, such as photocuring polymers and crosslinking reagents. In this study, we used a thermally sensitive hydrogel, hydroxybutyl chitosan (HBC), for 3D-printing applications. For the first time, we demonstrated that this modified polysaccharide is affected by the specific ion effect. As the salt concentration was increased and stronger kosmotropic anions were used, the lower critical solution temperature of the HBC decreased and the storage modulus was improved, indicating a more hydrophobic structure and stronger molecular chain interactions. On the basis of the thermosensitivity and the ion effects of HBC, a 25-layered hydrogel scaffold with strong mechanical properties and an elaborate structure was prepared via a 3D-printing method and one-step ionic post-treatment. In particular, the scaffold treated with 10% NaCl solution exhibited a tunable elastic modulus of 73.2 kPa to 40 MPa and excellent elastic recovery, as well as biodegradability and cytocompatibility, suggesting the potential for its applications to cartilage tissue repair. By simply controlling the temperature and salt concentrations, this novel approach provides a convenient and green route to improving the structural accuracy and regulating the properties of 3D-printed hydrogel constructs.

  13. Design of a Versatile pH-Responsive Hydrogel for Potential Oral Delivery of Gastric-Sensitive Bioactives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angus R. Hibbins

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available A pH-responsive hydrogel system was prepared by free radical polymerization of acrylamide and methyl acrylic acid in the presence of N-N′-methylene bisacrylamide. Sodium bicarbonate was further applied as a blowing agent, which afforded a porous hydrogel structure. The hydrogel system achieved a constant super swelling rate within simulated intestinal buffer (~4%/min and remained relatively static within simulated gastric buffer (~0.8%/min. The hydrogel system was able to achieve matrix resilience greater than 30% under a relatively high strain of 40%. In addition, the hydrogel system demonstrated significant swelling properties in response to simulated intestinal environmental over 24 h, with contrasting characteristics in simulated gastric buffer. The hydrogel demonstrated type IV isotherm porosity characteristics, with remarkable MRI and SEM variations in gastric and intestinal simulated fluids. Drug loading was observed to be greater than 98% using theophylline as a prototype drug, evaluating its controlled release kinetics over 24 h. The hydrogel exhibited substantial pH-responsive activity, which could be used as a versatile platform for targeted release of gastric-sensitive therapeutics to the small intestine.

  14. Development of Mucoadhesive Chitosan Derivatives for Use as Submucosal Injections

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hidemi Hattori

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD have been used for surgical treatment of early gastric cancer. These endoscopic techniques require proper submucosal injections beneath the tumor to provide a sufficiently high submucosal fluid cushion (SFC to facilitate clean dissection and resection of the tumor. Until now, the submucosal injection materials developed for endoscopic techniques such as EMR and ESD of tumors have been composed of macromolecules, proteins, or polysaccharides. We have been investigating the use of chitosan, a product that is obtained by the alkaline deacetylation of chitin, the second-most abundant natural polysaccharide. Specifically, we have been studying a photocrosslinked chitosan hydrogel (PCH and solubilized chitosan derivatives for use as novel submucosal injections for endoscopic techniques. Notably, chitosan derivatives with lactose moieties linked to the amino groups of its glucosamine units can specifically interact with acidic mucopolysaccharides and mucins in submucosa without the need for the incorporation of harmful photoreactive groups nor potentially mutagenic ultraviolet irradiation.

  15. Impedance spectroscopy study of dehydrated chitosan and chitosan containing LiClO4

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Costa, M.M.; Terezo, A.J.; Matos, A.L.; Moura, W.A.; Giacometti, Jose A.; Sombra, A.S.B.

    2010-01-01

    Cast films of chitosan and chitosan containing LiClO 4 were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and the thermogravimetric technique. The electric properties of hydrated and dehydrated films were investigated with impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range from 0.1 Hz to 1 MHz, at temperatures varying from 30 to 110 o C. The frequency dependence of the impedance for dehydrated chitosan and chitosan containing LiClO 4 films indicated ionic conduction. Two relaxation peaks were evident on the imaginary curve of the electric modulus, which were assigned to ionic conduction. The peak at higher frequency was found for chitosan and chitosan containing LiClO 4 films. The peak at lower frequency was attributed to Li + conduction since it appeared only for the chitosan containing LiClO 4 . The peak frequency varied with the temperature according to an Arrhenius process with activation energies of circa of 0.6 and 0.45 eV, for H + and Li + conduction, respectively.

  16. Design of a hybrid biomaterial for tissue engineering: Biopolymer-scaffold integrated with an autologous hydrogel carrying mesenchymal stem-cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weinstein-Oppenheimer, Caroline R; Brown, Donald I; Coloma, Rodrigo; Morales, Patricio; Reyna-Jeldes, Mauricio; Díaz, María J; Sánchez, Elizabeth; Acevedo, Cristian A

    2017-10-01

    Biologically active biomaterials as biopolymers and hydrogels have been used in medical applications providing favorable results in tissue engineering. In this research, a wound dressing device was designed by integration of an autologous clot hydrogel carrying mesenchymal stem-cells onto a biopolymeric scaffold. This hybrid biomaterial was tested in-vitro and in-vivo, and used in a human clinical case. The biopolymeric scaffold was made with gelatin, chitosan and hyaluronic acid, using a freeze-drying method. The scaffold was a porous material which was designed evaluating both physical properties (glass transition, melting temperature and pore size) and biological properties (cell viability and fibronectin expression). Two types of chitosan (120 and 300kDa) were used to manufacture the scaffold, being the high molecular weight the most biologically active and stable after sterilization with gamma irradiation (25kGy). A clot hydrogel was formulated with autologous plasma and calcium chloride, using an approach based on design of experiments. The optimum hydrogel was used to incorporate cells onto the porous scaffold, forming a wound dressing biomaterial. The wound dressing device was firstly tested in-vitro using human cells, and then, its biosecurity was evaluated in-vivo using a rabbit model. The in-vitro results showed high cell viability after one week (99.5%), high mitotic index (19.8%) and high fibronectin expression. The in-vivo application to rabbits showed adequate biodegradability capacity (between 1 and 2weeks), and the histological evaluation confirmed absence of rejection signs and reepithelization on the wound zone. Finally, the wound dressing biomaterial was used in a single human case to implant autologous cells on a skin surgery. The medical examination indicated high biocompatibility, partial biodegradation at one week, early regeneration capacity at 4weeks and absence of rejection signs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Interaction of chitin/chitosan with salivary and other epithelial cells-An overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patil, Sharvari Vijaykumar; Nanduri, Lalitha S Y

    2017-11-01

    Chitin and its deacetylated form, chitosan, have been widely used for tissue engineering of both epithelial and mesenchymal tissues. Epithelial cells characterised by their sheet-like tight cellular arrangement and polarised nature, constitute a major component in various organs and play a variety of roles including protection, secretion and maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Regeneration of damaged epithelial tissues has been studied using biomaterials such as chitin, chitosan, hyaluronan, gelatin and alginate. Chitin and chitosan are known to promote proliferation of various embryonic and adult epithelial cells. However it is not clearly understood how this activity is achieved or what are the mechanisms involved in the chitin/chitosan driven proliferation of epithelial cells. Mechanistic understanding of influence of chitin/chitosan on epithelial cells will guide us to develop more targeted regenerative scaffold/hydrogel systems. Therefore, current review attempts to elicit a mechanistic insight into how chitin and chitosan interact with salivary, mammary, skin, nasal, lung, intestinal and bladder epithelial cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Superabsorbent hydrogels via graft polymerization of acrylic acid from chitosan-cellulose hybrid and their potential in controlled release of soil nutrients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Essawy, Hisham A; Ghazy, Mohamed B M; El-Hai, Farag Abd; Mohamed, Magdy F

    2016-08-01

    Superabsorbent polymers fabricated via grafting polymerization of acrylic acid from chitosan (CTS) yields materials that suffer from poor mechanical strength. Hybridization of chitosan with cellulose (Cell) via chemical bonding using thiourea formaldehyde resin increases the flexibility of the produced hybrid (CTS/Cell). The hybridization process and post graft polymerization of acrylic acid was followed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). Also, the obtained structures were homogeneous and exhibited uniform surface as could be shown from imaging with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thus, the polymers derived from the grafting of polyacrylic acid from (CTS/Cell) gave rise to much more mechanically robust structures ((CTS/Cell)-g-PAA) that bear wide range of pH response due to presence of chitosan and polyacrylic acid in one homogeneous entity. Additionally, the obtained structures possessed greater water absorbency 390, 39.5g/g in distilled water and saline (0.9wt.% NaCl solution), respectively, and enhanced retention potential even at elevated temperatures as revealed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). This could be explained by the high grafting efficiency (GE%), 86.4%, and grafting yield (GY%), 750%. The new superabsorbent polymers proved to be very efficient devices for controlled release of fertilizers into the soil which expands their use in agriculture and horticultural applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Use of Chitosan-PVA Hydrogels with Copper Nanoparticles to Improve the Growth of Grafted Watermelon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González Gómez, Homero; Ramírez Godina, Francisca; Ortega Ortiz, Hortensia; Benavides Mendoza, Adalberto; Robledo Torres, Valentín; Cabrera De la Fuente, Marcelino

    2017-06-22

    Modern agriculture requires alternative practices that improve crop growth without negatively affecting the environment, as resources such as water and arable land grow scarcer while the human population continues to increase. Grafting is a cultivation technique that allows the plant to be more efficient in its utilization of water and nutrients, while nanoscale material engineering provides the opportunity to use much smaller quantities of consumables compared to conventional systems but with similar or superior effects. On those grounds, we evaluated the effects of chitosan-polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel with absorbed copper nanoparticles (Cs-PVA-nCu) on leaf morphology and plant growth when applied to grafted watermelon cultivar 'Jubilee' plants. Stomatal density (SD), stomatal index (SI), stoma length (SL), and width (SW) were evaluated. The primary stem and root length, the stem diameter, specific leaf area, and fresh and dry weights were also recorded. Our results demonstrate that grafting induces modifications to leaf micromorphology that favorably affect plant growth, with grafted plants showing better vegetative growth in spite of their lower SD and SI values. Application of Cs-PVA-nCu was found to increase stoma width, primary stem length, and root length by 7%, 8% and 14%, respectively. These techniques modestly improve plant development and growth.

  20. Use of Chitosan-PVA Hydrogels with Copper Nanoparticles to Improve the Growth of Grafted Watermelon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Homero González Gómez

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Modern agriculture requires alternative practices that improve crop growth without negatively affecting the environment, as resources such as water and arable land grow scarcer while the human population continues to increase. Grafting is a cultivation technique that allows the plant to be more efficient in its utilization of water and nutrients, while nanoscale material engineering provides the opportunity to use much smaller quantities of consumables compared to conventional systems but with similar or superior effects. On those grounds, we evaluated the effects of chitosan-polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel with absorbed copper nanoparticles (Cs-PVA-nCu on leaf morphology and plant growth when applied to grafted watermelon cultivar ‘Jubilee’ plants. Stomatal density (SD, stomatal index (SI, stoma length (SL, and width (SW were evaluated. The primary stem and root length, the stem diameter, specific leaf area, and fresh and dry weights were also recorded. Our results demonstrate that grafting induces modifications to leaf micromorphology that favorably affect plant growth, with grafted plants showing better vegetative growth in spite of their lower SD and SI values. Application of Cs-PVA-nCu was found to increase stoma width, primary stem length, and root length by 7%, 8% and 14%, respectively. These techniques modestly improve plant development and growth.

  1. Novel Injectable Pentablock Copolymer Based Thermoresponsive Hydrogels for Sustained Release Vaccines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bobbala, Sharan; Tamboli, Viral; McDowell, Arlene; Mitra, Ashim K; Hook, Sarah

    2016-01-01

    The need for multiple vaccinations to enhance the immunogenicity of subunit vaccines may be reduced by delivering the vaccine over an extended period of time. Here, we report two novel injectable pentablock copolymer based thermoresponsive hydrogels made of polyethyleneglycol-polycaprolactone-polylactide-polycaprolactone-polyethyleneglycol (PEG-PCL-PLA-PCL-PEG) with varying ratios of polycaprolactone (PCL) and polylactide (PLA), as single shot sustained release vaccines. Pentablock copolymer hydrogels were loaded with vaccine-encapsulated poly lactic-co-glycolic acid nanoparticles (PLGA-NP) or with the soluble vaccine components. Incorporation of PLGA-NP into the thermoresponsive hydrogels increased the complex viscosity of the gels, lowered the gelation temperature, and minimized the burst release of antigen and adjuvants. The two pentablock hydrogels stimulated both cellular and humoral responses. The addition of PLGA-NP to the hydrogels sustained immune responses for up to 49 days. The polymer with a higher ratio of PCL to PLA formed a more rigid gel, induced stronger immune responses, and stimulated effective anti-tumor responses in a prophylactic melanoma tumor model.

  2. Thermoresponsive Hydrogels and Their Biomedical Applications: Special Insight into Their Applications in Textile Based Transdermal Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sudipta Chatterjee

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Various natural and synthetic polymers are capable of showing thermoresponsive properties and their hydrogels are finding a wide range of biomedical applications including drug delivery, tissue engineering and wound healing. Thermoresponsive hydrogels use temperature as external stimulus to show sol-gel transition and most of the thermoresponsive polymers can form hydrogels around body temperature. The availability of natural thermoresponsive polymers and multiple preparation methods of synthetic polymers, simple preparation method and high functionality of thermoresponsive hydrogels offer many advantages for developing drug delivery systems based on thermoresponsive hydrogels. In textile field applications of thermoresponsive hydrogels, textile based transdermal therapy is currently being applied using drug loaded thermoresponsive hydrogels. The current review focuses on the preparation, physico-chemical properties and various biomedical applications of thermoresponsive hydrogels based on natural and synthetic polymers and especially, their applications in developing functionalized textiles for transdermal therapies. Finally, future prospects of dual responsive (pH/temperature hydrogels made by these polymers for textile based transdermal treatments are mentioned in this review.

  3. Microcyst response to high Dk/t silicone hydrogel contact lenses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keay, L; Sweeney, D F; Jalbert, I; Skotnitsky, C; Holden, B A

    2000-11-01

    To investigate the microcyst response to extended wear (EW) with high oxygen transmissible (Dk/t) silicone hydrogel lenses. Microcysts were monitored for 12 months in subjects wearing low Dk/t hydrogel lenses on a 6-night EW schedule or high Dk/t hydrogel lenses on a 30-night EW schedule. Subjects wearing low Dk/t lenses transferred to the high Dk/t EW lenses and schedule after 12 months and were monitored for a further 6 months. The mean number of microcysts did not deviate from baseline in the high Dk/t group. Microcysts in the low Dk/t group increased over 12 months, and more microcysts were observed in low Dk/t lens wearers compared with high Dk/t lens wearers after 3 months. Microcysts increased in 50% of subjects 1 week after transfer to high Dk/t lenses and returned to baseline levels seen with high Dk/t lens wear within 3 months. EW with high Dk/t silicone hydrogel lenses did not cause an increase in microcyst numbers. It is not necessary to discontinue lens wear with patients who transfer from low to high Dk/t lenses because the increase in microcysts is transitory. This result has implications for practitioners when fitting and assessing the success of high Dk/t hydrogel lenses.

  4. 3D printable conducting hydrogels containing chemically converted graphene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sayyar, Sepidar; Gambhir, Sanjeev; Chung, Johnson; Officer, David L; Wallace, Gordon G

    2017-02-02

    The development of conducting 3D structured biocompatible scaffolds for the growth of electroresponsive cells is critical in the field of tissue engineering. This work reports the synthesis and 3D processing of UV-crosslinkable conducting cytocompatible hydrogels that are prepared from methacrylated chitosan (ChiMA) containing graphenic nanosheets. The addition of chemically converted graphene resulted in mechanical and electrical properties of the composite that were significantly better than ChiMA itself, as well as improved adhesion, proliferation and spreading of L929 fibroblasts cells. The chemically converted graphene/ChiMA hydrogels were amenable to 3D printing and this was used to produce multilayer scaffolds with enhanced mechanical properties through UV-crosslinking.

  5. Correction of MHS Viscosimetric Constants upon Numerical Simulation of Temperature Induced Degradation Kinetic of Chitosan Solutions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vincenzo Maria De Benedictis

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available The Mark–Houwink–Sakurada (MHS equation allows for estimation of rheological properties, if the molecular weight is known along with good understanding of the polymer conformation. The intrinsic viscosity of a polymer solution is related to the polymer molecular weight according to the MHS equation, where the value of the constants is related to the specific solvent and its concentration. However, MHS constants do not account for other characteristics of the polymeric solutions, i.e., Deacetilation Degree (DD when the solute is chitosan. In this paper, the degradation of chitosan in different acidic environments by thermal treatment is addressed. In particular, two different solutions are investigated (used as solvent acetic or hydrochloric acid with different concentrations used for the preparation of chitosan solutions. The samples were treated at different temperatures (4, 30, and 80 °C and time points (3, 6 and 24 h. Rheological, Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC and Thermal Gravimetric Analyses (TGA were performed in order to assess the degradation rate of the polymer backbones. Measured values of molecular weight have been integrated in the simulation of the batch degradation of chitosan solutions for evaluating MHS coefficients to be compared with their corresponding experimental values. Evaluating the relationship between the different parameters used in the preparation of chitosan solutions (e.g., temperature, time, acid type and concentration, and their contribution to the degradation of chitosan backbone, it is important to have a mathematical frame that could account for phenomena involved in polymer degradation that go beyond the solvent-solute combination. Therefore, the goal of the present work is to propose an integration of MHS coefficients for chitosan solutions that contemplate a deacetylation degree for chitosan systems or a more

  6. The influence of phosphorylation and freezing temperature on the mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite/chitosan composite as bone scaffold biomaterial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albab, Muh Fadhil; Giovani, Nicholas; Yuwono, Akhmad Herman; Sofyan, Nofrijon; Ramahdita, Ghiska; Whulanza, Yudan

    2018-02-01

    Biomaterials composite of hydroxyapatite/chitosan is a preeminent material for medical applications including bone scaffold. To improve its mechanical properties, the chitosan as the matrix needs to be modified with particular chemical agents. One of the methods is phosphorylation of chitosan by using orthophosphoric acid prior to the biomaterials fabrication. In the current study, biomaterials with the weight composition of 70% hydroxyapatite (HA) and 30% phosphorylated chitosan have been fabricated using thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) method with freezing temperature variation of -20, -30, -40 and -80°C prior to three day-freeze drying. The results obtained by this work showed that the highest compression modulus of 376.9 kPa, highest compressive strength of 38.4 kPa and biggest pore size of 48.24 µm were achieved in the freezing temperature of -20°C. In comparison to non-phosphorylated chitosan/hydroxyapatite, the modification of chitosan using orthophosphoric acid in this work has been found to increase the compressive strength of composite up to 5.5 times.

  7. Synthesis and Characterization of pH and Thermo Dual-Responsive Hydrogels with a Semi-IPN Structure Based on N-Isopropylacrylamide and Itaconamic Acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rwei, Syang-Peng; Tuan, Huynh Nguyen Anh; Chiang, Whe-Yi; Way, Tun-Fun

    2018-04-28

    A series of semi-interpenetrating polymer network (semi-IPN) hydrogels were synthesized and investigated in this study. Linear copolymer poly( N -isopropylacrylamide-co-itaconamic acid) p(NIPAM-co-IAM), which is formed by copolymerization of N -isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and itaconamic acid (IAM, 4-amino-2-ethylene-4-oxobutanoic acid), was introduced into a solution of NIPAM to form a series of pH and thermo dual-responsive p(NIPAM-co-IAM)/pNIPAM semi-IPN hydrogels by free radical polymerization. The structural, morphological, chemical, and physical properties of the linear copolymer and semi-IPN hydrogels were investigated. The semi-IPN hydrogel showed high thermal stability according to thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA). Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) images showed that the pore size was in the range of 119~297 µm and could be controlled by the addition ratio of the linear copolymer in the semi-IPN structure. The addition of linear copolymer increased the fracture strain from 57.5 ± 2.9% to 91.1 ± 4.9% depending on the added amount, while the compressive modulus decreased as the addition increased. Moreover, the pH and thermo dual-responsive properties were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and monitoring the swelling behavior of the hydrogels. In deionized (DI) water, the equilibrium swelling ratio of the hydrogels decreased as the temperature increased from 20 °C to 50 °C, while it varied in various pH buffer solutions. In addition, the swelling and deswelling rates of the hydrogels also significantly increased. The results indicate that the novel pH-thermo dual-responsive semi-IPN hydrogels were synthesized successfully and may be a potential material for biomedical, drug delivery, or absorption application.

  8. Photodegradable, Photoadaptable Hydrogels via Radical-Mediated Disulfide Fragmentation Reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fairbanks, Benjamin D; Singh, Samir P; Bowman, Christopher N; Anseth, Kristi S

    2011-04-26

    Various techniques have been adopted to impart a biological responsiveness to synthetic hydrogels for the delivery of therapeutic agents as well as the study and manipulation of biological processes and tissue development. Such techniques and materials include polyelectrolyte gels that swell and deswell with changes in pH, thermosensitive gels that contract at physiological temperatures, and peptide cross-linked hydrogels that degrade upon peptidolysis by cell-secreted enzymes. Herein we report a unique approach to photochemically deform and degrade disulfide cross-linked hydrogels, mitigating the challenges of light attenuation and low quantum yield, permitting the degradation of hydrogels up to 2 mm thick within 120 s at low light intensities (10 mW/cm(2) at 365 nm). Hydrogels were formed by the oxidation of thiol-functionalized 4-armed poly(ethylene glycol) macromolecules. These disulfide cross-linked hydrogels were then swollen in a lithium acylphosphinate photoinitiator solution. Upon exposure to light, photogenerated radicals initiate multiple fragmentation and disulfide exchange reactions, permitting and promoting photodeformation, photowelding, and photodegradation. This novel, but simple, approach to generate photoadaptable hydrogels portends the study of cellular response to mechanically and topographically dynamic substrates as well as novel encapsulations by the welding of solid substrates. The principles and techniques described herein hold implications for more than hydrogel materials but also for photoadaptable polymers more generally.

  9. E-beam crosslinked, biocompatible functional hydrogels incorporating polyaniline nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dispenza, C.; Sabatino, M.A.; Niconov, A.; Chmieliewska, D.; Spadaro, G.

    2011-01-01

    Complete text of publication follows. Objective of this research is to develop a functional soft nanocomposites platform that combines the electro-optic properties of conjugated polymer nanoparticles with process flexibility, highly hydrophilic character, 3D structure and biocompatibility of hydrogels, to yield novel soft materials with multi-application potential in diagnostic, therapeutic and regenerative medicine. PANI aqueous nanocolloids in their acid doped, inherently conductive form, are synthesised by means of suitable polymeric stabilisers, i.e. water soluble polymers, that may prevent irreversible PANI particles coalescence and precipitation during synthesis and upon storage. Depending on the nature nad concentration of the polymeric stabiliser, e.g. polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinylalcohol (PVA) or chitosan (CT), PANI has been synthesised in form of nanoscalar rods, spherical particles or rice grains, respectively. In the present work, e-beam irradiation with a 12 MeV Linac accelerator has been tested, in alternative to gamma-rays, as a viable industrial methodology to generate hydrogel nanocomposites via in-situ crosslinking of the polymers already used to stabilise polyaniline nanocolloids, at low temperature, with no recourse to further addition of molecular weight chemicals and in a few minutes. In these conditions nanoparticles morphology of PANI should be preserved and interesting electro-optical properties can be imparted. The swelling properties of the different hydrogel nanocomposites have been investigated at the variance of the chemical structure of the matrix material and of the pH of the swelling medium. UV-visible absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies demonstrate the retained optical activity of the dispersed PANI nanoparticles when incorporated in the hydrogels. Selected formulations have been also subjected to MTT assays and absence of cytotoxicity has been ascertained as the first necessary step to assess their biocompatibility.

  10. Polymer brush-functionalized chitosan hydrogels as antifouling implant coatings

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Buzzacchera, I.; Vorobii, M.; Kostina, N. Yu.; de los Santos Pereira, Andres; Riedel, Tomáš; Bruns, M.; Ogieglo, W.; Möller, M.; Wilson, C. J.; Rodriguez-Emmenegger, C.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 18, č. 6 (2017), s. 1983-1992 ISSN 1525-7797 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GBP205/12/G118 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : chitosan * hemocompatible * polymer brushes Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry OBOR OECD: Biochemistry and molecular biology Impact factor: 5.246, year: 2016

  11. Injectable hydrogels for central nervous system therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pakulska, Malgosia M; Shoichet, Molly S; Ballios, Brian G

    2012-01-01

    Diseases and injuries of the central nervous system (CNS) including those in the brain, spinal cord and retina are devastating because the CNS has limited intrinsic regenerative capacity and currently available therapies are unable to provide significant functional recovery. Several promising therapies have been identified with the goal of restoring at least some of this lost function and include neuroprotective agents to stop or slow cellular degeneration, neurotrophic factors to stimulate cellular growth, neutralizing molecules to overcome the inhibitory environment at the site of injury, and stem cell transplant strategies to replace lost tissue. The delivery of these therapies to the CNS is a challenge because the blood–brain barrier limits the diffusion of molecules into the brain by traditional oral or intravenous routes. Injectable hydrogels have the capacity to overcome the challenges associated with drug delivery to the CNS, by providing a minimally invasive, localized, void-filling platform for therapeutic use. Small molecule or protein drugs can be distributed throughout the hydrogel which then acts as a depot for their sustained release at the injury site. For cell delivery, the hydrogel can reduce cell aggregation and provide an adhesive matrix for improved cell survival and integration. Additionally, by choosing a biodegradable or bioresorbable hydrogel material, the system will eventually be eliminated from the body. This review discusses both natural and synthetic injectable hydrogel materials that have been used for drug or cell delivery to the CNS including hyaluronan, methylcellulose, chitosan, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and Matrigel. (paper)

  12. One pot synthesis of new poly(vinyl alcohol) blended natural polymer based magnetic hydrogel beads: Controlled natural anticancer alkaloid delivery system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kesavan, Mookkandi Palsamy; Ayyanaar, Srinivasan; Lenin, Nayagam; Sankarganesh, Murugesan; Dhaveethu Raja, Jeyaraj; Rajesh, Jegathalaprathaban

    2018-02-01

    Facile one-pot synthesis has been demonstrated for new biocompatible and dual responsive magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) blended natural polymer chitosan (CS) based hydrogel beads (mCS-PVA) as a controlled natural anticancer alkaloid Luotonin A (LuA) delivery system. The prepared magnetic hydrogel beads were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction measurement, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer. The magnetic hydrogel beads are exhibited significant water retention and follow the second order kinetic model in swelling study. The swelling ratio of the magnetic gel beads increased by the addition of PVA and showed a maximum swelling ratio of 40.83 ± 1.01 g/g and follows non-Fickian water transport mechanism. Stimuli responsive mCS and mCS-PVA hydrogel beads functionalized with LuA is demonstrated for controlled release at physiological pH and under magnetic field. The magnetic hydrogel beads show highest LuA releasing efficacy at acidic medium (pH = 5.0) with maximum efficiency of 73.33 ± 1.44%. This efficacy may also be tuned by altering the external magnetic field as well as the weight percentage (wt %) of polyethylene glycol. It is clearly that the newly produced magnetic hydrogel beads can be served as an effective intestinal LuA delivery system. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 543-551, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Peptide based hydrogels for bone tissue engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ranny, H.R.; Schneider, J.P.

    2007-01-01

    Peptide hydrogels are potentially ideal scaffolds for tissue repair and regeneration due to their ability to mimic natural extra cellular matrix. The 20 amino acid peptide HPL8 (H2N- VKVKVKVKVDPP TKVKVKVKV-CONH2), has been shown to fold and self-assemble into a rigid hydrogel based on Environmental cues such as pH, salt, and temperature. Due to its environmental responsiveness, hydrogel assembly can be induced by cell culture media, allowing for 3D encapsulation of osteogenic cells. Initially, 20 cultures of MC3T3 cells proved that the hydrogel is nontoxic and sustains cellular attachment in the absence of serum proteins without altering the physical properties of the hydrogel. The cell-material structure relationship in normal and pathological conditions was further investigated by 3D encapsulation. Cell were viable for 3 weeks and grew in clonogenic spheroids. Characterization of the proliferation, differentiation and constitutive expression of various osteoblastic markers was performed using spectrophotometric methods. The well-defined, fibrillar nanostructure of the hydrogel directs the attachment and attachment and growth of osteoblast cells and dictates the mineralization of hydroxyapatite in a manner similar to bone. This study will enable control over the interaction of cellular systems with the peptide hydrogel with designs for biomedical applications of bone repair. (author)

  14. pH-responsive and enzymatically-responsive hydrogel microparticles for the oral delivery of therapeutic proteins: Effects of protein size, crosslinking density, and hydrogel degradation on protein delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koetting, Michael Clinton; Guido, Joseph Frank; Gupta, Malvika; Zhang, Annie; Peppas, Nicholas A

    2016-01-10

    Two potential platform technologies for the oral delivery of protein therapeutics were synthesized and tested. pH-responsive poly(itaconic acid-co-N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (P(IA-co-NVP)) hydrogel microparticles were tested in vitro with model proteins salmon calcitonin, urokinase, and rituximab to determine the effects of particle size, protein size, and crosslinking density on oral delivery capability. Particle size showed no significant effect on overall delivery potential but did improve percent release of encapsulated protein over the micro-scale particle size range studied. Protein size was shown to have a significant impact on the delivery capability of the P(IA-co-NVP) hydrogel. We show that when using P(IA-co-NVP) hydrogel microparticles with 3 mol% tetra(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate crosslinker, a small polypeptide (salmon calcitonin) loads and releases up to 45 μg/mg hydrogel while the mid-sized protein urokinase and large monoclonal antibody rituximab load and release only 19 and 24 μg/mg hydrogel, respectively. We further demonstrate that crosslinking density offers a simple method for tuning hydrogel properties to variously sized proteins. Using 5 mol% TEGDMA crosslinker offers optimal performance for the small peptide, salmon calcitonin, whereas lower crosslinking density of 1 mol% offers optimal performance for the much larger protein rituximab. Finally, an enzymatically-degradable hydrogels of P(MAA-co-NVP) crosslinked with the peptide sequence MMRRRKK were synthesized and tested in simulated gastric and intestinal conditions. These hydrogels offer ideal loading and release behavior, showing no degradative release of encapsulated salmon calcitonin in gastric conditions while yielding rapid and complete release of encapsulated protein within 1h in intestinal conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Effect of chitosan addition and gamma radiation on polymeric blends of PVP and PVAL; Efeito da adicao de quitosana e da radiacao gama em blendas polimericas de PVP e PVAL

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Terence, M.C.; Castro, P.J.; Miranda, L.F.; Faldini, S.B., E-mail: mauroterence@yahoo.com.b [Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, Sao Paulo. SP (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia de Materiais

    2010-07-01

    The objective of this project is the study of the effect of chitosan addition and the radiation with gamma rays. The polymeric blend usage is a recent development that expanded the applications of the polymers, due to the improvement of the properties of a single polymer. The PVP and PVAL were chosen because they present the main required characteristics to the formation of a hydrogel, such as water absorption and crosslinking, and the chitosan to improve the interaction between the hydrogel and the organism. The flexibility of the PVP was added with the mechanical resistance of the PVAL and the chitosan biocompatibility. With a defined concentration of PVP and PVAL, films of this blend was irradiated and also solutions with different concentrations of chitosan was prepared to obtain new films of this blend. After obtaining the films, some assays were realized to evaluate the mechanical properties. (author)

  16. Chitosan nanoparticles affect acid tolerance response in adhered cells of strpetococcus mutans

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Neilands, Julia; Sutherland, Duncan S; Resin, Anton

    2011-01-01

    In this study we evaluated the effect of chitosan nanoparticles on the acid tolerance response (ATR) of adhered Streptococcus mutans. An ATR was induced by exposing S. mutans to pH 5.5 for 2 h and confirmed by exposing the acid-adapted cells to pH 3.5 for 30 min, with the majority of cells...... appearing viable according to the LIVE/DEAD (R) technique. However, when chitosan nanoparticles were present during the exposure to pH 5.5, no ATR occurred as most cells appeared dead after the pH 3.5 shock. We conclude that the chitosan nanoparticles tested had the ability to hinder ATR induction...

  17. Evaluation of selective arterial embolization effect by chitosan micro-hydrogels in hindlimb sarcoma rodent models using various imaging modalities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Tai Kyoung; Kwon, Jeong Il; Na, Kyung Sook [Chonbuk National University Medical School and Hospital, Jeonju (Korea, Republic of); and others

    2015-09-15

    Embolization is mainly used to reduce the size of locally advanced tumors. In this study, selective arterial catheterization with chitosan micro-hydrogels (CMH) into the femoral artery was performed and the therapeutic effect was validated using different imaging methods. Male SD rats (n = 18, 6 weeks old) were randomly assigned into three groups: Group 1 as control, Group 2 without any ligation of distal femoral artery, and Group 3 with temporary ligation of the distal femoral artery. RR1022 sarcoma cell lines were inoculated into thigh muscle. After 1 week, CMH was injected into the proximal femoral artery. Different imaging modalities were performed during a 3-week follow-up. The tumor size was significantly (P < 0.001) decreased in both Group 2 and Group 3 (P < 0.001) after selective arterial embolization therapy. 18F-FDG-PET/CT revealed decreased intensity of 18F-FDG uptake in tumors. The accumulation status of 125I-CMH near the tumor was verified by gamma camera. Appropriate selective arterial embolization therapy with CMH was.

  18. Peptide Hydrogelation and Cell Encapsulation for 3D Culture of MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Xiuzhi S.; Nguyen, Thu A.

    2013-01-01

    Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture plays an invaluable role in tumor biology by providing in vivo like microenviroment and responses to therapeutic agents. Among many established 3D scaffolds, hydrogels demonstrate a distinct property as matrics for 3D cell culture. Most of the existing pre-gel solutions are limited under physiological conditions such as undesirable pH or temperature. Here, we report a peptide hydrogel that shows superior physiological properties as an in vitro matrix for 3D cell culture. The 3D matrix can be accomplished by mixing a self-assembling peptide directly with a cell culture medium without any pH or temperature adjustment. Results of dynamic rheological studies showed that this hydrogel can be delivered multiple times via pipetting without permanently destroying the hydrogel architecture, indicating the deformability and remodeling ability of the hydrogel. Human epithelial cancer cells, MCF-7, are encapsulated homogeneously in the hydrogel matrix during hydrogelation. Compared with two-dimensional (2D) monolayer culture, cells residing in the hydrogel matrix grow as tumor-like clusters in 3D formation. Relevant parameters related to cell morphology, survival, proliferation, and apoptosis were analyzed using MCF-7 cells in 3D hydrogels. Interestingly, treatment of cisplatin, an anti-cancer drug, can cause a significant decrease of cell viability of MCF-7 clusters in hydrogels. The responses to cisplatin were dose- and time-dependent, indicating the potential usage of hydrogels for drug testing. Results of confocal microscopy and Western blotting showed that cells isolated from hydrogels are suitable for downstream proteomic analysis. The results provided evidence that this peptide hydrogel is a promising 3D cell culture material for drug testing. PMID:23527204

  19. Co-Deposition of a Hydrogel/Calcium Phosphate Hybrid Layer on 3D Printed Poly(Lactic Acid Scaffolds via Dip Coating: Towards Automated Biomaterials Fabrication

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthias Schneider

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The article describes the surface modification of 3D printed poly(lactic acid (PLA scaffolds with calcium phosphate (CP/gelatin and CP/chitosan hybrid coating layers. The presence of gelatin or chitosan significantly enhances CP co-deposition and adhesion of the mineral layer on the PLA scaffolds. The hydrogel/CP coating layers are fairly thick and the mineral is a mixture of brushite, octacalcium phosphate, and hydroxyapatite. Mineral formation is uniform throughout the printed architectures and all steps (printing, hydrogel deposition, and mineralization are in principle amenable to automatization. Overall, the process reported here therefore has a high application potential for the controlled synthesis of biomimetic coatings on polymeric biomaterials.

  20. CMOS image sensor-based implantable glucose sensor using glucose-responsive fluorescent hydrogel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tokuda, Takashi; Takahashi, Masayuki; Uejima, Kazuhiro; Masuda, Keita; Kawamura, Toshikazu; Ohta, Yasumi; Motoyama, Mayumi; Noda, Toshihiko; Sasagawa, Kiyotaka; Okitsu, Teru; Takeuchi, Shoji; Ohta, Jun

    2014-11-01

    A CMOS image sensor-based implantable glucose sensor based on an optical-sensing scheme is proposed and experimentally verified. A glucose-responsive fluorescent hydrogel is used as the mediator in the measurement scheme. The wired implantable glucose sensor was realized by integrating a CMOS image sensor, hydrogel, UV light emitting diodes, and an optical filter on a flexible polyimide substrate. Feasibility of the glucose sensor was verified by both in vitro and in vivo experiments.

  1. Stimulus responsive hydrogel-coated etched fiber Bragg grating for carcinogenic chromium (VI) sensing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kishore, Pabbisetti Vayu Nandana; Madhuvarasu, Sai Shankar; Moru, Satyanarayana

    2018-01-01

    This paper proposes a chemo-mechanical-optical sensing approach for the detection of carcinogenic chromium (VI) metal ion using an etched fiber Bragg grating (FBG) coated with stimulus responsive hydrogel. Hydrogel synthesized from the blends of (3-acrylamidopropyl)-trimethylammonium chloride, which is highly responsive to chromium ions suffers a volume change when placed in Cr solution. When the proposed sensor system is exposed to various concentrations of Cr (VI) ion solution, FBG peak shifts due to the mechanical strain induced by the swelling of the hydrogel. The peak shift is correlated with the concentration of the Cr (VI) metal ion. Due to the reduction in the cladding diameter of FBG, wastage of swelling force due to hydrogel on FBG is lowered and utilized for more wavelength peak shift of FBG resulting in the increase in the sensitivity. The resolution of the sensor system is found to be 0.072 ppb. Trace amounts of chromium (VI) ion as low as 10 ppb can be sensed by this method. The sensor has shown good sensitivity, selectivity, and repeatability. The salient features of the sensors are its compact size, light weight, and adoptability for remote monitoring.

  2. A multifunctional upconverting nanoparticle incorporated polycationic hydrogel for near-infrared triggered and synergistic treatment of drug-resistant bacteria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Meili; Li, Zhenhua; Zhou, Li; Dong, Kai; Ren, Jinsong; Qu, Xiaogang

    2016-03-01

    Recently, antibiotic drug-resistant therapies have become very important due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. The development of novel antibacterial materials has received significant attention. Here, quaternized chitosan hydrogels incorporated with NaYF4:Er/Yb/Mn@photosensitizer-doped silica (UCNPs/MB) were synthesized for effective killing of both gram-positive oxacillin-resistant S. aureus (DR-S. aureus) and gram-negative kanamyclin-resistant E. coli (DR-E. coli) bacteria upon near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. In this system, the cationic macroporous nature of the hydrogel acts as a molecular ‘anion sponge’, which sucks the outer part of the anionic microbe membrane into the gel interior voids and causes microbe membrane disruption. By incorporating UCNPs/MB-doped silica into the hydrogel, we have combined photodynamic therapy (PDT) with quaternized chitosan to obtain a high therapeutic index via a synergistic effect. In vitro experiments have demonstrated that our system had excellent antibacterial efficiency to both DR-S. aureus and DR-E. coli bacteria. More importantly, our new synergistic treatment modality provided an excellent therapy platform for drug-resistant bacteria, which could improve antimicrobial efficiency.

  3. A multifunctional upconverting nanoparticle incorporated polycationic hydrogel for near-infrared triggered and synergistic treatment of drug-resistant bacteria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yin, Meili; Li, Zhenhua; Zhou, Li; Dong, Kai; Ren, Jinsong; Qu, Xiaogang

    2016-01-01

    Recently, antibiotic drug-resistant therapies have become very important due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. The development of novel antibacterial materials has received significant attention. Here, quaternized chitosan hydrogels incorporated with NaYF 4 :Er/Yb/Mn@photosensitizer-doped silica (UCNPs/MB) were synthesized for effective killing of both gram-positive oxacillin-resistant S. aureus (DR-S. aureus) and gram-negative kanamyclin-resistant E. coli (DR-E. coli) bacteria upon near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. In this system, the cationic macroporous nature of the hydrogel acts as a molecular ‘anion sponge’, which sucks the outer part of the anionic microbe membrane into the gel interior voids and causes microbe membrane disruption. By incorporating UCNPs/MB-doped silica into the hydrogel, we have combined photodynamic therapy (PDT) with quaternized chitosan to obtain a high therapeutic index via a synergistic effect. In vitro experiments have demonstrated that our system had excellent antibacterial efficiency to both DR-S. aureus and DR-E. coli bacteria. More importantly, our new synergistic treatment modality provided an excellent therapy platform for drug-resistant bacteria, which could improve antimicrobial efficiency. (paper)

  4. A simple route to synthesize conductive stimuli-responsive polypyrrole nanocomposite hydrogel particles with strong magnetic properties and their performance for removal of hexavalent chromium ions from aqueous solution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahmad, Hasan, E-mail: samarhass@yahoo.com [Department of Chemistry, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi 6205 (Bangladesh); Rahman, Mohammad Mostafizar; Ali, Mohammad Azgar [Department of Chemistry, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi 6205 (Bangladesh); Minami, Hideto [Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan); Tauer, Klaus [Max Planck Institute of Colloid and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg, 14476 Golm (Germany); Gafur, Mohammad Abdul [Pilot Plant and Process Development Centre, BCSIR, Dhaka 1205 (Bangladesh); Rahman, Mohammad Mahbubor [Department of Chemistry, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi 6205 (Bangladesh)

    2016-08-15

    A combination of maghemite polypyrrole (PPy/γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}) and stimuli-responsive properties in the same hydrogel microspheres is expected to enhance their application potential in various fields such as tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, biosensors, biomedical applications and removal of heavy metals from waste water, catalysis etc. In this investigation a simple two step process is used to prepare conductive stimuli-responsive polypyrrole (PPy) composite hydrogel particles with strong magnetic properties. Poly(styrene-methacrylic acid-N-isopropylacrylamide-polyethelene glycol methacrylate) or P(S-NIPAM-MAA-PEGMA) hydrogel seed particles are first prepared by soap-free precipitation copolymerization. The copolymer hydrogel particles exhibited both temperature- and pH-responsive volume phase transition. Conductive P(S-NIPAM-MAA-PEGMA)/PPy/γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanocomposite hydrogel particles are then prepared by seeded chemical oxidative polymerization of pyrrole in the presence of P(S-NIPAM-MAA-PEGMA) hydrogel seed particles using FeCl{sub 3} as a oxidant and p-toluene sulfonic acid ( p-TSA) as a dopant. In the reaction system FeCl{sub 3} functioned as a source of Fe(III) for the formation of γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}. This reaction also requires the initial presence of Fe(II) provided by the addition of FeCl{sub 2}. The size and size distribution, surface structure, and morphology of the prepared conductive composite hydrogel particles are confirmed by FTIR, electron micrographs, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV–visible spectroscopy. The performance of nanocomposite hydrogel particles has been evaluated for the removal of hexavalent chromium (Cr) ions from water. - Highlights: • P(S-NIPAM-MAA-PEGMA) hydrogel particles were prepared. • P(S-NIPAM-MAA-PEGMA)/PPy/γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanocomposite hydrogel particles were prepared. • Oxidative polymerization of pyrrole and precipitation of γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3

  5. Alginate-hydroxypropylcellulose hydrogel microbeads for alkaline phosphatase encapsulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karewicz, A; Zasada, K; Bielska, D; Douglas, T E L; Jansen, J A; Leeuwenburgh, S C G; Nowakowska, M

    2014-01-01

    There is a growing interest in using proteins as therapeutics agents. Unfortunately, they suffer from limited stability and bioavailability. We aimed to develop a new delivery system for proteins. ALP, a model protein, was successfully encapsulated in the physically cross-linked sodium alginate/hydroxypropylcellulose (ALG-HPC) hydrogel microparticles. The obtained objects had regular, spherical shape and a diameter of ∼4 µm, as confirmed by optical microscopy and SEM analysis. The properties of the obtained microbeads could be controlled by temperature and additional coating or crosslinking procedures. The slow, sustained release of ALP in its active form with no initial burst effect was observed for chitosan-coated microspheres at pH = 7.4 and 37 °C. Activity of ALP released from ALG/HPC microspheres was confirmed by the occurance of effectively induced mineralization. SEM and AFM images revealed formation of the interpenetrated three-dimensional network of mineral, originating from the microbeads' surfaces. FTIR and XRD analyses confirmed formation of hydroxyapatite.

  6. Fast temperature-responsive nanocomposite PNIPAM hydrogels with controlled pore wall thickness: force and rate of T-response

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Depa, Katarzyna; Strachota, Adam; Šlouf, Miroslav; Hromádková, Jiřina

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 48, č. 12 (2012), s. 1997-2007 ISSN 0014-3057 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA106/09/1101 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40500505 Keywords : porous * nanocomposite * hydrogels Subject RIV: JI - Composite Materials Impact factor: 2.562, year: 2012

  7. Biosynthetic hydrogels--studies on chemical and physical characteristics on long-term cellular response for tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thankam, Finosh Gnanaprakasam; Muthu, Jayabalan

    2014-07-01

    Biosynthetic hydrogels can meet the drawbacks caused by natural and synthetic ones for biomedical applications. In the current article we present a novel biosynthetic alginate-poly(propylene fumarate) copolymer based chemically crosslinked hydrogel scaffolds for cardiac tissue engineering applications. Partially crosslinked PA hydrogel and fully cross linked PA-A hydrogel scaffolds were prepared. The influence of chemical and physical (morphology and architecture of hydrogel) characteristics on the long term cellular response was studied. Both these hydrogels were cytocompatible and showed no genotoxicity upon contact with fibroblast cells. Both PA and PA-A were able to resist deleterious effects of reactive oxygen species and sustain the viability of L929 cells. The hydrogel incubated oxidative stress induced cells were capable of maintaining the intra cellular reduced glutathione (GSH) expression to the normal level confirmed their protective effect. Relatively the PA hydrogel was found to be unstable in the cell culture medium. The PA-A hydrogel was able to withstand appreciable cyclic stretching. The cyclic stretching introduced complex macro and microarchitectural features with interconnected pores and more structured bound water which would provide long-term viability of around 250% after the 24th day of culture. All these qualities make PA-A hydrogel form a potent candidate for cardiac tissue engineering. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Effects of dietary chitosan on growth, lipid metabolism, immune response and antioxidant-related gene expression in Misgurnus anguillicaudatus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, J; Guo, C; Dawood, M A O; Gao, J

    2017-05-30

    This study was performed to evaluate the effects of dietary chitosan supplementation on growth performance, lipid metabolism, gut microbial, antioxidant status and immune responses of juvenile loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus). Five experimental diets were formulated to contain graded levels of chitosan (0 (control), 0.5, 1, 2 and 5% CHI) for 50 days. Results of the present study showed that body weight gain was significantly higher in fish fed chitosan supplemented diets in dose dependent manner than control group. Increasing dietary chitosan levels reduced gut lipid content. Meanwhile the mRNA expression levels of intestine lipoprotein lipase and fatty acid binding protein 2 were significantly reduced with incremental dietary chitosan level. The percentages of total monounsaturated fatty acid decreased, while polyunsaturated fatty acid increased with dietary chitosan. The fish fed 0.5% CHI had higher mucus lysozyme activity (LZM) than those fed 0% CHI, but the LZM activity was significantly decreased with advancing chitosan supplement. The expression levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase revealed a similar trend, where the highest expressions were found in fish fed 5% CHI diet. In the term of intestine microbiota between 0 and 1% CHI groups, the proportion of bacteria in the phylum Bacteroidetes increased, whereas the proportion of bacteria in the phylum Firmicutes decreased as the fish supplemented chitosan. In conclusion, supplementation of chitosan improved growth performance, antioxidant status and immunological responses in loach.

  9. Synthesis and characterization of arginine-NIPAAm hybrid hydrogel as wound dressing: In vitro and in vivo study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, De-Qun; Zhu, Jie; Han, Hua; Zhang, Jun-Zhi; Wu, Fei-Fei; Qin, Xiao-Hong; Yu, Jian-Yong

    2018-01-01

    A multi-functional hybrid hydrogel P(M-Arg/NIPAAm) with temperature response, anti-protein adsorption and antibacterial properties was prepared and applied as wound dressing. The hydrogel was carried out by free radical copolymerization of methacrylate arginine (M-Arg) and N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAAm) monomers using N,N'-methylene bisacrylamide as a crosslinker, and ammonium persulfate/N,N,N', N'-tetramethylethylenediamine as the redox initiator. To endow the antimicrobial property, chlorhexidine diacetate (CHX) was preloaded into the hydrogel and polyhexamethylene guanidine phosphate (PHMG) was grafted on the hydrogel surface, respectively. The antimicrobial property of two series of hydrogels was evaluated and compared. The successful synthesis of M-Arg, PHMG and hydrogels was proved by 13 C NMR, 1 H NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. The hydrogel morphology characterized by scanning electron microscopy confirmed that the homogeneous porous and interconnected structures of the hydrogels. The swelling, protein adsorption property, in vitro release of CHX, antimicrobial assessment, cell viability as well as in vivo wound healing in a mouse model were studied. The results showed the nontoxicity and antimicrobial P(M-Arg/NIPAAm) hydrogel accelerated the full-thickness wound healing process and had the potential application in wound dressing. Despite the zwitterionic characteristic and biocompatible property of arginine based hydrogels, the brittle behavior and non-transparency still remain as a significant problem for wound dressing. Furthermore promoting the antibacterial property of the zwitterionic hydrogel is also necessary to prevent the bacterial colonization and subsequent wound infection. Therefore, we created a hybrid hydrogel combined methacrylate arginine (M-Arg) and N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAAm). NIPAAm improves transparency and mechanical property as well as acts as a temperature-response drug release system. Additionally, chlorhexidine (CHX) was preloaded

  10. Formation of zeolite A. Properties of the alumina--silicate hydrogel. Formation of zeolite A on prolonged maturation of the hydrogel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Polak, F; Cichocki, A

    1974-01-01

    Analytic, adsorption, and x-ray investigations of a maturated hydrogel A, crystallized at 94/sup 0/ during 6 hr and of a hydrogel A kept for 2 months at room temperature showed that the zeolite A was formed easily and that maturation of the hydrogel A had little effect on its crystallization at 94/sup 0/. The hydrogel A kept for 2 months at room temperature passed almost completely into the crystalline zeolite A. Changes in the content of SiO/sub 2/, Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/, and Na/sub 2/O in the liquid and solid phases during the maturation and crystallization of the hydrogels A were studied.

  11. Metal nanoparticles triggered persistent negative photoconductivity in silk protein hydrogels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gogurla, Narendar; Sinha, Arun K.; Naskar, Deboki; Kundu, Subhas C.; Ray, Samit K.

    2016-03-01

    Silk protein is a natural biopolymer with intriguing properties, which are attractive for next generation bio-integrated electronic and photonic devices. Here, we demonstrate the negative photoconductive response of Bombyx mori silk protein fibroin hydrogels, triggered by Au nanoparticles. The room temperature electrical conductivity of Au-silk hydrogels is found to be enhanced with the incorporation of Au nanoparticles over the control sample, due to the increased charge transporting networks within the hydrogel. Au-silk lateral photoconductor devices show a unique negative photoconductive response under an illumination of 325 nm, with excitation energy higher than the characteristic metal plasmon resonance band. The enhanced photoconductance yield in the hydrogels over the silk protein is attributed to the photo-oxidation of amino groups in the β-pleated sheets of the silk around the Au nanoparticles followed by the breaking of charge transport networks. The Au-silk nanocomposite does not show any photoresponse under visible illumination because of the localization of excited charges in Au nanoparticles. The negative photoconductive response of hybrid Au-silk under UV illumination may pave the way towards the utilization of silk for future bio-photonic devices using metal nanoparticle platforms.

  12. Mechanical response and multilevel structure of biomimetic hydroxyapatite/polygalacturonic/chitosan nanocomposites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Verma, Devendra; Katti, Kalpana S.; Katti, Dinesh R.; Mohanty, Bedabibhas

    2008-01-01

    Using an in situ mineralization process that is biomimetic we have synthesized new nanocomposites of chitosan/hydroxyapatite in 50-50 ratio(ChiHAP50), polygalacturonic acid/hydroxyapatite in 50-50 ratio (PgAHAP50) and Chitosan/hydroxyapatite/Polygalacturonic acid (ChiPgAHAP50). Polygalacturonic acid (PgA) is electrostatically complementary to chitosan, and thus is expected to provide stronger interfacial interactions and improve mechanical response. Atomic force imaging of fractured and polished surfaces suggests a multilevel organization in the hydroxyapatite/biopolymer nanocomposite. The AFM images of ChiPgAHAP50 nanocomposite display presence of chitosan rich and polygalacturonic rich domains. These chitosan rich and PgA rich domains are made of smaller globular shaped particles in which, hydroxyapatite nano-particles are embedded in the biopolymer matrix. The average size of the hydroxyapatite particles in PgAHAP50, ChiHAP50 and ChiPgAHAP50 were found to be 25, 42 and 34 nm respectively. The elastic moduli determined from nanoindentation of PgAHAP50, ChiHAP50 and ChiPgAHAP50 composites are 29.81, 17.56 and 23.62 GPa respectively. Hardness values of the three composites in the same order were found to be 1.56, 0.65 and 1.14 GPa respectively. Macro-mechanical tests showed significant enhancement in elastic moduli, strain to failure and compressive strength of ChiPgAHAP50 composites over ChiHAP50 and PgAHAP50

  13. Effect of Chitosan Properties on Immunoreactivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ravindranathan, Sruthi; Koppolu, Bhanu prasanth; Smith, Sean G.; Zaharoff, David A.

    2016-01-01

    Chitosan is a widely investigated biopolymer in drug and gene delivery, tissue engineering and vaccine development. However, the immune response to chitosan is not clearly understood due to contradicting results in literature regarding its immunoreactivity. Thus, in this study, we analyzed effects of various biochemical properties, namely degree of deacetylation (DDA), viscosity/polymer length and endotoxin levels, on immune responses by antigen presenting cells (APCs). Chitosan solutions from various sources were treated with mouse and human APCs (macrophages and/or dendritic cells) and the amount of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) released by the cells was used as an indicator of immunoreactivity. Our results indicate that only endotoxin content and not DDA or viscosity influenced chitosan-induced immune responses. Our data also indicate that low endotoxin chitosan (chitosan in preclinical studies in order for this valuable biomaterial to achieve widespread clinical application. PMID:27187416

  14. Physically crosslinked composite hydrogels of PVA with natural macromolecules: structure, mechanical properties, and endothelial cell compatibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Y; Vrana, N E; Cahill, P A; McGuinness, G B

    2009-08-01

    Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogels have been considered potentially suitable for applications as engineered blood vessels because of their structure and mechanical properties. However, PVA's hydrophilicity hinders its capacity to act as a substrate for cell attachment. As a remedy, PVA was blended with chitosan, gelatin, or starch, and hydrogels were formed by subjecting the solutions to freeze-thaw cycles followed by coagulation bath immersion. The structure-property relationships for these hydrogels were examined by measurement of their swelling, rehydration, degradation, and mechanical properties. For the case of pure PVA hydrogels, the equilibrium swelling ratio was used to predict the effect of freeze thaw cycles and coagulation bath on average molecular weights between crosslinks and on mesh size. For all hydrogels, trends for the reswelling ratio, which is indicative of the crosslinked polymer fraction, were consistent with relative tensile properties. The coagulation bath treatment increased the degradation resistance of the hydrogels significantly. The suitability of each hydrogel for cell attachment and proliferation was examined by protein adsorption and bovine vascular endothelial cell culture experiments. Protein adsorption and cell proliferation was highest on the PVA/gelatin hydrogels. This study demonstrates that the potential of PVA hydrogels for artificial blood vessel applications can be improved by the addition of natural polymers, and that freeze-thawing and coagulation bath treatment can be utilized for fine adjustment of the physical characteristics.

  15. DNA sequence-directed shape change of photopatterned hydrogels via high-degree swelling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cangialosi, Angelo; Yoon, ChangKyu; Liu, Jiayu; Huang, Qi; Guo, Jingkai; Nguyen, Thao D.; Gracias, David H.; Schulman, Rebecca

    2017-09-01

    Shape-changing hydrogels that can bend, twist, or actuate in response to external stimuli are critical to soft robots, programmable matter, and smart medicine. Shape change in hydrogels has been induced by global cues, including temperature, light, or pH. Here we demonstrate that specific DNA molecules can induce 100-fold volumetric hydrogel expansion by successive extension of cross-links. We photopattern up to centimeter-sized gels containing multiple domains that undergo different shape changes in response to different DNA sequences. Experiments and simulations suggest a simple design rule for controlled shape change. Because DNA molecules can be coupled to molecular sensors, amplifiers, and logic circuits, this strategy introduces the possibility of building soft devices that respond to diverse biochemical inputs and autonomously implement chemical control programs.

  16. Anisotropic dehydration of hydrogel surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaklamani, Georgia; Cheneler, David; Grover, Liam M; Adams, Michael J; Anastasiadis, Spiros H; Bowen, James

    2017-12-01

    Efforts to develop tissue-engineered skin for regenerative medicine have explored natural, synthetic, and hybrid hydrogels. The creation of a bilayer material, with the stratification exhibited by native skin, is a complex problem. The mechanically robust, waterproof epidermis presents the stratum corneum at the tissue/air interface, which confers many of these protective properties. In this work, we explore the effect of high temperatures on alginate hydrogels, which are widely employed for tissue engineering due to their excellent mechanical properties and cellular compatibility. In particular, we investigate the rapid dehydration of the hydrogel surface which occurs following local exposure to heated surfaces with temperatures in the range 100-200 °C. We report the creation of a mechanically strengthened hydrogel surface, with improved puncture resistance and increased coefficient of friction, compared to an unheated surface. The use of a mechanical restraint during heating promoted differences in the rate of mass loss; the rate of temperature increase within the hydrogel, in the presence and absence of restraint, is simulated and discussed. It is hoped that the results will be of use in the development of processes suitable for preparing skin-like analogues; application areas could include wound healing and skin restoration.

  17. Carbon Nanotubes Reinforced Maleic Anhydride-Modified Xylan-g-Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Hydrogel with Multifunctional Properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xinxin; Song, Tao; Chang, Minmin; Meng, Ling; Wang, Xiaohui; Sun, Runcang; Ren, Junli

    2018-01-01

    Introducing multifunctional groups and inorganic material imparts xylan-based hydrogels with excellent properties, such as responsiveness to pH, temperature, light, and external magnetic field. In this work, a composite hydrogel was synthesized by introducing acid treated carbon nanotubes (AT-CNTs) into the maleic anhydride modified xylan grafted with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (MAX-g-PNIPAM) hydrogels network. It was found that the addition of AT-CNTs affected the MAX-g-PNIPAM hydrogel structure, the swelling ratio and mechanical properties, and imparted the hydrogel with new properties of electrical conductivity and near infrared region (NIR) photothermal conversion. AT-CNTs could reinforce the mechanical properties of MAX-g-PNIPAM hydrogels, being up to 83 kPa for the compressive strength when the amount was 11 wt %, which was eight times than that of PNIPAM hydrogel and four times than that of MAX-g-PNIPAM hydrogel. The electroconductibility was enhanced by the increase of AT-CNTs amounts. Meanwhile, the composite hydrogel also exhibited multiple shape memory and NIR photothermal conversion properties, and water temperature was increased from 26 °C to 56 °C within 8 min under the NIR irradiation. Thus, the AT-CNTs reinforced MAX-g-PNIPAM hydrogel possessed promising multifunctional properties, which offered many potential applications in the fields of biosensors, thermal-arrest technology, and drug-controlled release. PMID:29495611

  18. Tough Al-alginate/poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel with tunable LCST for soft robotics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Wen Jiang; An, Ning; Yang, Jian Hai; Zhou, Jinxiong; Chen, Yong Mei

    2015-01-28

    Tough Al-alginate/poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogel has been synthesized by introducing an interpenetrating network with hybrid physically cross-linked alginate and chemically cross-linked PNIPAM. Varying the concentration of AlCl3 regulates the mechanical properties of the tough hydrogel and tunes its lower critical solution temperature (LCST) as well. The tough Al-alginate/PNIPAM exhibits 6.3 ± 0.3 MPa of compressive stress and 9.95 of uniaxial stretch. Tunability of LCST is also achieved in a wide range within 22.5-32 °C. A bending beam actuator and a four-arm gripper made of bilayer (Na-alginate/PNIPAM)/(Al-alginate/PNIPAM) hydrogel as prototype of all-hydrogel soft robotics are demonstrated. A finite element (FE) simulation model is developed to simulate the deformation of the soft robotics. The FE simulation not only reproduces the deformation process of performed experiments but also predicts more complicated devices that can be explored in the future. This work broadens the application of temperature-responsive PNIPAM-based hydrogels.

  19. Poly(vinyl alcohol)-Tannic Acid Hydrogels with Excellent Mechanical Properties and Shape Memory Behaviors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ya-Nan; Peng, Lufang; Liu, Tianqi; Wang, Yaxin; Shi, Shengjie; Wang, Huiliang

    2016-10-12

    Shape memory hydrogels have promising applications in a wide variety of fields. Here we report the facile fabrication of a novel type of shape memory hydrogels physically cross-linked with both stronger and weaker hydrogen bonding (H-bonding). Strong multiple H-bonding formed between poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and tannic acid (TA) leads to their coagulation when they are physically mixed at an elevated temperature and easy gelation at room temperature. The amorphous structure and strong H-bonding endow the PVA-TA hydrogels with excellent mechanical properties, as indicated by their high tensile strengths (up to 2.88 MPa) and high elongations (up to 1100%). The stronger H-bonding between PVA and TA functions as the "permanent" cross-link and the weaker H-bonding between PVA chains as the "temporary" cross-link. The reversible breakage and formation of the weaker H-bonding imparts the PVA-TA hydrogels with excellent temperature-responsive shape memory. Wet and dried hydrogel samples with a deformed or elongated shape can recover to their original shapes when immersed in 60 °C water in a few seconds or at 125 °C in about 2.5 min, respectively.

  20. Photothermal-modulated drug delivery and magnetic relaxation based on collagen/poly(γ-glutamic acid hydrogel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cho SH

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Sun-Hee Cho,1,* Ahreum Kim,1,* Woojung Shin,2 Min Beom Heo,1 Hyun Jong Noh,1 Kwan Soo Hong,3,4 Jee-Hyun Cho,3,4 Yong Taik Lim1,2 1SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT, 2School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 3Bioimaging Research Team, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju, 4Immunotherapy Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Injectable and stimuli-responsive hydrogels have attracted attention in molecular imaging and drug delivery because encapsulated diagnostic or therapeutic components in the hydrogel can be used to image or change the microenvironment of the injection site by controlling various stimuli such as enzymes, temperature, pH, and photonic energy. In this study, we developed a novel injectable and photoresponsive composite hydrogel composed of anticancer drugs, imaging contrast agents, bio-derived collagen, and multifaceted anionic polypeptide, poly (γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA. By the introduction of γ-PGA, the intrinsic temperature-dependent phase transition behavior of collagen was modified to a low viscous sol state at room temperature and nonflowing gel state around body temperature. The modified temperature-dependent phase transition behavior of collagen/γ-PGA hydrogels was also evaluated after loading of near-infrared (NIR fluorophore, indocyanine green (ICG, which could transform absorbed NIR photonic energy into thermal energy. By taking advantage of the abundant carboxylate groups in γ-PGA, cationic-charged doxorubicin (Dox and hydrophobic MnFe2O4 magnetic nanoparticles were also incorporated successfully into the collagen/γ-PGA hydrogels. By illumination of NIR light on the collagen/γ-PGA/Dox/ICG/MnFe2O4 hydrogels, the release kinetics of Dox and magnetic relaxation of MnFe2O4 nanoparticles could be modulated. The experimental results suggest that

  1. Novel Osteoinductive Photo-cross-linkable Chitosan-lactide-fibrinogen Hydrogels Enhance Bone Regeneration in Critical Size Segmental Bone Defects

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-08-01

    2.3.2. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) The internal microstructures of the CL and CLF hydrogels were investigated by SEM. The effect of...hydrogels. All hydrogels showed homogeneous and microporous structures throughout the cross-section. The CL hydrogel (Fig. 3a and 3c) exhibited...regardless of wettability. Furthermore, amide or ester linkages for the branched PLA chains can function as plasticizers internally in the rigid main

  2. Insulin Inclusion into a Tragacanth Hydrogel: An Oral Delivery System for Insulin

    OpenAIRE

    Mokhamad Nur; Todor Vasiljevic

    2018-01-01

    Nanoparticles or microparticles created by physical complexation between two polyelectrolytes may have a prospective use as an excipient for oral insulin administration. Natural polymers such as tragacanth, alginate, dextran, pullulan, hyaluronic acid, gelatin and chitosan can be potential candidates for this purpose. In this research, insulin particles were prepared by the inclusion of insulin into a tragacanth hydrogel. The effect of the pH and concentration relationship involving polyelect...

  3. Development of a P((MAA-co-NVP)-g-EG) Hydrogel Platform for Oral Protein Delivery: Effects of Hydrogel Composition on Environmental Response and Protein Partitioning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steichen, Stephanie; O'Connor, Colleen; Peppas, Nicholas A

    2017-01-01

    Hydrogels based upon terpolymers of methacrylic acid, N-vinyl pyrrolidone, and poly(ethylene glycol) are developed and characterized for their ability to respond to changes in environmental pH and to partition protein therapeutics of varying molecular weights and isoelectric points. P((MAA-co-NVP)-g-EG) hydrogels are synthesized with PEG-based cross-linking agents of varying length and incorporation densities. The composition is confirmed using FT-IR spectroscopy and shows peak shifts indicating hydrogen bonding. Scanning electron microscopy reveals microparticles with an irregular, planar morphology. The pH-responsive behavior of the hydrogels is confirmed under equilibrium and dynamic conditions, with the hydrogel collapsed at acidic pH and swollen at neutral pH. The ability of the hydrogels to partition model protein therapeutics at varying pH and ionic strength is evaluated using three model proteins: insulin, porcine growth hormone, and ovalbumin. Finally, the microparticles are evaluated for adverse interactions with two model intestinal cell lines and show minimal cytotoxicity at concentrations below 5 mg mL -1 . © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Chitosan/alginate based multilayers to control drug release fromophthalmic lens

    OpenAIRE

    Silva, Diana; Pinto, Luís F. V.; Bozukova, Dimitriya; Santos, Luís F.; Serro, Ana Paula; Saramago, Benilde

    2016-01-01

    In this study we investigated the possibility of using layer-by-layer deposition, based in natural polymers (chitosan and alginate), to control the release of different ophthalmic drugs from three types of lens materials: a silicone-based hydrogel recently proposed by our group as drug releasing soft contact lens (SCL) material and two commercially available materials: CI26Y for intraocular lens (IOLs) and Definitive 50 for SCLs. The optimised coating, consisting in one double layer of (algin...

  5. Self-assembly model, hepatocytes attachment and inflammatory response for silk fibroin/chitosan scaffolds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    She Zhending; Feng Qingling; Liu Weiqiang

    2009-01-01

    Silk fibroin is an attractive natural fibrous protein for biomedical application due to its good biocompatibility and high tensile strength. Silk fibroin is apt to form a sheet-like structure during the freeze-drying process, which is not suitable for the scaffold of tissue engineering. In our former study, the adding of chitosan promoted the self-assembly of silk fibroin/chitosan (SFCS) into a three-dimensional (3D) homogeneous porous structure. In this study, a model of the self-assembly is proposed; furthermore, hepatocytes attachment and inflammatory response for the SFCS scaffold were examined. The rigid chain of chitosan may be used as a template for β-sheet formation of silk fibroin, and this may break the sheet structure of the silk fibroin scaffold and promote the formation of a 3D porous structure of the SFCS scaffold. Compared with the polylactic glycolic acid scaffold, the SFCS scaffold further facilitates the attachment of hepatocytes. To investigate the inflammatory response, SFCS scaffolds were implanted into the greater omentum of rats. From the results of implantation, we could demonstrate in vivo that the implantation of SFCS scaffolds resulted in only slight inflammation. Keeping the good histocompatibility and combining the advantages of both fibroin and chitosan, the SFCS scaffold could be a prominent candidate for soft tissue engineering, for example, in the liver.

  6. Self-assembly model, hepatocytes attachment and inflammatory response for silk fibroin/chitosan scaffolds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    She Zhending; Feng Qingling [State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Liu Weiqiang, E-mail: biomater@mail.tsinghua.edu.c [Center for Advanced Materials and Biotechnology, Research Institute of Tsinghua University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518057 (China)

    2009-08-15

    Silk fibroin is an attractive natural fibrous protein for biomedical application due to its good biocompatibility and high tensile strength. Silk fibroin is apt to form a sheet-like structure during the freeze-drying process, which is not suitable for the scaffold of tissue engineering. In our former study, the adding of chitosan promoted the self-assembly of silk fibroin/chitosan (SFCS) into a three-dimensional (3D) homogeneous porous structure. In this study, a model of the self-assembly is proposed; furthermore, hepatocytes attachment and inflammatory response for the SFCS scaffold were examined. The rigid chain of chitosan may be used as a template for beta-sheet formation of silk fibroin, and this may break the sheet structure of the silk fibroin scaffold and promote the formation of a 3D porous structure of the SFCS scaffold. Compared with the polylactic glycolic acid scaffold, the SFCS scaffold further facilitates the attachment of hepatocytes. To investigate the inflammatory response, SFCS scaffolds were implanted into the greater omentum of rats. From the results of implantation, we could demonstrate in vivo that the implantation of SFCS scaffolds resulted in only slight inflammation. Keeping the good histocompatibility and combining the advantages of both fibroin and chitosan, the SFCS scaffold could be a prominent candidate for soft tissue engineering, for example, in the liver.

  7. Responsive Hydrogels for Label-Free Signal Transduction within Biosensors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kamila Gawel

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Hydrogels have found wide application in biosensors due to their versatile nature. This family of materials is applied in biosensing either to increase the loading capacity compared to two-dimensional surfaces, or to support biospecific hydrogel swelling occurring subsequent to specific recognition of an analyte. This review focuses on various principles underpinning the design of biospecific hydrogels acting through various molecular mechanisms in transducing the recognition event of label-free analytes. Towards this end, we describe several promising hydrogel systems that when combined with the appropriate readout platform and quantitative approach could lead to future real-life applications.

  8. The use of cross-linked chitosan beads for nutrients (nitrate and orthophosphate) removal from a mixture of P-PO4, N-NO2 and N-NO3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jóźwiak, Tomasz; Filipkowska, Urszula; Szymczyk, Paula; Kuczajowska-Zadrożna, Małgorzata; Mielcarek, Artur

    2017-11-01

    A hydrogel chitosan sorbent ionically cross-linked with sodium citrate and covalently cross-linked with epichlorohydrin was used to remove nutrients from an equimolar mixture of P-PO 4 , N-NO 2 and N-NO 3 . The scope of the study included, among other things, determination of the influence of pH on nutrient sorption effectiveness, nutrient sorption kinetics as well as determination of the maximum sorption capacity of cross-linked chitosan sorbents regarding P-PO 4 (H 2 PO 4 - , HPO 4 2- ), N-NO 2 (HNO 2 , NO 2 - ), and N-NO 3 (NO 3 - ). The effect of the type of the cross-linking agent on the affinity of the modified chitosan to each nutrient was studied as well. The kinetics of nutrient sorption on the tested chitosan sorbents was best described with the pseudo-second order model. The model of intramolecular diffusion showed that P-PO 4 , N-NO 2 and N-NO3 sorption on cross-linked hydrogel chitosan beads proceeded in two phases. The best sorbent of nutrients turned out to be chitosan cross-linked covalently with epichlorohydrin; with P-PO 4 , N-NO 2 and N-NO 3 sorption capacity reaching: 1.23, 0.94 and 0.76mmol/g, respectively (total of 2.92mmol/g). For comparison, the sorption capacity of chitosan cross-linked ionically with sodium citrate was: 0.43, 0.39 and 0.39mmol/g for P-PO 4 , N-NO 2 and N-NO 3 , respectively (total of 1.21mmol/g). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Chitosan-based hydrogel tissue scaffolds made by 3D plotting promotes osteoblast proliferation and mineralization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, I-Hsin; Chang, Shih-Hsin; Lin, Hsin-Yi

    2015-05-13

    A 3D plotting system was used to make chitosan-based tissue scaffolds with interconnected pores using pure chitosan (C) and chitosan cross-linked with pectin (CP) and genipin (CG). A freeze-dried chitosan scaffold (CF/D) was made to compare with C, to observe the effects of structural differences. The fiber size, pore size, porosity, compression strength, swelling ratio, drug release efficacy, and cumulative weight loss of the scaffolds were measured. Osteoblasts were cultured on the scaffolds and their proliferation, type I collagen production, alkaline phosphatase activity, calcium deposition, and morphology were observed. C had a lower swelling ratio, degradation, porosity and drug release efficacy and a higher compressional stiffness and cell proliferation compared to CF/D (p 3D-plotted samples, cells on CP exhibited the highest degree of mineralization after 21 d (p 3D-plotted scaffolds were stronger, less likely to degrade and better promoted osteoblast cell proliferation in vitro compared to the freeze-dried scaffolds. C, CP and CG were structurally similar, and the different crosslinking caused significant changes in their physical and biological performances.

  10. Effect of temperature and mixing speed on immobilization of crude enzyme from Aspergillus niger on chitosan for hydrolyzing cellulose

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamzah, Afan; Gek Ela Kumala, P.; Ramadhani, Dwi; Maziyah, Nurul; Rahmah, Laila Nur; Soeprijanto, Widjaja, Arief

    2017-05-01

    Conversion of cellulose into reducing sugar through enzymatic hydrolysis has advantageous because it produces greater product yield, higher selectivity, require less energy, more moderate operating conditions and environment friendly. However, the nature of the enzyme that is difficult to separate and its expensive price become an obstacle. These obstacles can be overcome by immobilizing the enzyme on chitosan material so that the enzyme can be reused. Chitosan is chosen because it is cheap, inert, hydrophilic, and biocompatible. In this research, we use covalent attachment and combination between covalent attachment and cross-linking method for immobilizing crude enzyme. This research was focusing in study of Effect of temperature and mixing speed on Immobilization Enzyme From Aspergillus Niger on Chitosan For Hydrolyzing both soluble (Carboxymethylcellulose) and insoluble Cellulose (coconut husk). This Research was carried out by three main step. First, coconut husk was pre-treated mechanically and chemically, Second, Crude enzyme from Aspergillus niger strain was immobilized on chitosan in various immobilization condition. At last, the pre-treated coconut husk and Carboxymetylcellulose (CMC) were hydrolyzed by immobilized cellulose on chitosan for reducing sugar production. The result revealed that the most reducing sugar produced by immobilized enzyme on chitosan+GDA with immobilization condition at 30 °C and 125 rpm. Enzyme immobilized on chitosan cross-linked with GDA produced more reducing sugar from preteated coconut husk than enzyme immobilized on chitosan.

  11. Production of chitosan-based non-woven membranes using the electrospinning process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pakravan Lonbani, Mehdi

    Chitosan is a modified natural polymer mainly produced from chitin, one of the most abundant organic materials in the world. Highly porous chitosan mats present the specific physicochemical properties of the base material and also benefit from the physical characteristics of nanoporous membranes. Electrospinning is a novel technique developed long time ago and revisited recently that can generate polymeric fibers with nanometric size. The ultimate purpose of this work is to fabricate microporous non-woven chitosan membranes for wound healing dressings and heavy metal ion removal from drinking water. In this dissertation, two approaches have been utilized to prepare chitosan-based nanofibers; blending and co-axial electrospinning of chitosan solution with a readily electrospinnable solution, i.e. an aqueous solution of polyethylene oxide (PEO). Consequently, understanding the phase behavior and miscibility of aqueous acidic solutions of chitosan and PEO and their blends is of crucial importance, as any phase separation occurring during the electrospinning process greatly changes the morphology and physico-mechanical properties of the final products. First we employed the rheological approach on a well-known aqueous PEO solution to develop the experimental protocol. By comparing these critical points with that obtained from other experimental techniques, we showed that rheological measurements can sensitively detect early stages of phase separation. Subsequently the method was applied to 50 wt% aqueous acetic acid solutions of PEO, chitosan and their blends at different ratios. These solutions showed a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) phase diagram that is attributed to the existence of hydrogen bonds between active groups on chitosan and PEO backbone and the solvent. Critical decomposition temperatures for binodal and spinodal points were estimated from isochronal temperature sweep experiments. The obtained binodal temperatures confirmed that chitosan

  12. Elastic hydrogel substrate supports robust expansion of murine myoblasts and enhances their engraftment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ding, Ke; Yang, Zhong; Xu, Jian-zhong; Liu, Wen-ying; Zeng, Qiang; Hou, Fang; Lin, Sen

    2015-01-01

    The application of satellite cell-derived myoblasts in regenerative medicine has been restricted by the rapid loss of stemness during in vitro cell expansion using traditional culture systems. However, studies published in the past decade have highlighted the influence of substrate elasticity on stem cell fate and revealed that culture on a soft hydrogel substrate can promote self-renewal and prolong the regenerative potential of muscle stem cells. Whether hydrogel substrates have similar effects after long-term robust expansion remains to be determined. Herein we prepared an elastic chitosan/beta-glycerophosphate/collagen hydrogel mimicking the soft microenvironment of muscle tissues for use as the substrate for satellite cell culture and investigated its influence on long-term cell expansion. After 20 passages in culture, satellite cell-derived myoblasts cultured on our hydrogel substrate exhibited significant improvements in proliferation capability, cell viability, colony forming frequency, and potential for myogenic differentiation compared to those cultured on a routine rigid culture surface. Immunochemical staining and western blot analysis both confirmed that myoblasts cultured on the hydrogel substrate expressed higher levels of several differentiation-related markers, including Pax7, Pax3, and SSEA-1, and a lower level of MyoD compared to myoblasts cultured on rigid culture plates (all p<0.05). After transplantation into the tibialis anterior of nude mice, myoblasts that had been cultured on the hydrogel substrate demonstrated a significantly greater engraftment efficacy than those cultured on the traditional surface. Collectively, these results indicate that the elastic hydrogel substrate supported robust expansion of murine myoblasts and enhanced their engraftment in vivo. - Highlights: • An elastic hydrogel was designed to mimic the pliable muscle tissue microenvironment. • Myoblasts retained their stemness in long-term culture on the elastic

  13. Elastic hydrogel substrate supports robust expansion of murine myoblasts and enhances their engraftment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ding, Ke, E-mail: dk1118@yeah.net [Department of Pediatric Surgery, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, Chengdu 610072 (China); Yang, Zhong [Department of Clinical Hematology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038 (China); Xu, Jian-zhong, E-mail: xjzspine@163.com [Department of Orthopaedics, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038 (China); Liu, Wen-ying; Zeng, Qiang; Hou, Fang [Department of Pediatric Surgery, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, Chengdu 610072 (China); Lin, Sen [Department of Anatomy and Histology & Embryology, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500 (China)

    2015-09-10

    The application of satellite cell-derived myoblasts in regenerative medicine has been restricted by the rapid loss of stemness during in vitro cell expansion using traditional culture systems. However, studies published in the past decade have highlighted the influence of substrate elasticity on stem cell fate and revealed that culture on a soft hydrogel substrate can promote self-renewal and prolong the regenerative potential of muscle stem cells. Whether hydrogel substrates have similar effects after long-term robust expansion remains to be determined. Herein we prepared an elastic chitosan/beta-glycerophosphate/collagen hydrogel mimicking the soft microenvironment of muscle tissues for use as the substrate for satellite cell culture and investigated its influence on long-term cell expansion. After 20 passages in culture, satellite cell-derived myoblasts cultured on our hydrogel substrate exhibited significant improvements in proliferation capability, cell viability, colony forming frequency, and potential for myogenic differentiation compared to those cultured on a routine rigid culture surface. Immunochemical staining and western blot analysis both confirmed that myoblasts cultured on the hydrogel substrate expressed higher levels of several differentiation-related markers, including Pax7, Pax3, and SSEA-1, and a lower level of MyoD compared to myoblasts cultured on rigid culture plates (all p<0.05). After transplantation into the tibialis anterior of nude mice, myoblasts that had been cultured on the hydrogel substrate demonstrated a significantly greater engraftment efficacy than those cultured on the traditional surface. Collectively, these results indicate that the elastic hydrogel substrate supported robust expansion of murine myoblasts and enhanced their engraftment in vivo. - Highlights: • An elastic hydrogel was designed to mimic the pliable muscle tissue microenvironment. • Myoblasts retained their stemness in long-term culture on the elastic

  14. Effect of Chitosan Properties on Immunoreactivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sruthi Ravindranathan

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Chitosan is a widely investigated biopolymer in drug and gene delivery, tissue engineering and vaccine development. However, the immune response to chitosan is not clearly understood due to contradicting results in literature regarding its immunoreactivity. Thus, in this study, we analyzed effects of various biochemical properties, namely degree of deacetylation (DDA, viscosity/polymer length and endotoxin levels, on immune responses by antigen presenting cells (APCs. Chitosan solutions from various sources were treated with mouse and human APCs (macrophages and/or dendritic cells and the amount of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α released by the cells was used as an indicator of immunoreactivity. Our results indicate that only endotoxin content and not DDA or viscosity influenced chitosan-induced immune responses. Our data also indicate that low endotoxin chitosan (<0.01 EU/mg ranging from 20 to 600 cP and 80% to 97% DDA is essentially inert. This study emphasizes the need for more complete characterization and purification of chitosan in preclinical studies in order for this valuable biomaterial to achieve widespread clinical application.

  15. [Thromboresistance of glucose-containing hydrogels].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valuev, I L; Valuev, L I; Vanchugova, L V; Obydennova, I V; Valueva, T A

    2013-01-01

    The thromboresistance of glucose-sensitive polymer hydrogels, modeling one of the functions of the pancreas, namely, the ability to secrete insulin in response to the introduction of glucose into the environment, has been studied. Hydrogels were synthesized by the copolymerization of hydroxyethyl methacrylate with N-acryloyl glucosamine in the presence of a cross-linking agent and subsequently treated with concanavalin A. Introduction of glucose residues into the hydrogel did not result in significant changes in either the number of trombocytes adhered to the hydrogel or the degree of denaturation of blood plasma proteins interacting with the hydrogel. Consequently, the biological activity of insulin did not change after release from the hydrogel. The use of glucose-sensitive hydrogels is supposed to contribute to the development of a novel strategy for the treatment of diabetes.

  16. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)–poly(ferrocenylsilane) dual-responsive hydrogels: synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sui, Xiaofeng; Feng, Xueling; Di Luca, Andrea; van Blitterswijk, Clemens; Moroni, Lorenzo; Hempenius, Mark A.; Vancso, Gyula J.

    2013-01-01

    Novel hydrogels composed of thermo-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and redox-responsive poly(ferrocenylsilane) (PFS) macromolecules were formed by photopolymerization. PFS chains bearing acrylate side groups were copolymerized with NIPAM and N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide in

  17. Stimulus-responsive hydrogels based on associative polymers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hietala, Sami; Hvilsted, Søren; Jankova Atanasova, Katja

    2008-01-01

    An important group of water soluble polymers are associative ones in which hydrophobic parts of the polymer molecules interact, self-assemble and enhance the viscosity of aqueous solutions even at low polymer concentrations. For many applications it would be beneficial to be able to combine the a......, in press. 3. S. Hietala, P. Mononen, S. Strandman, P. Jarvi, M. Torkkeli, K. Jankova, S. Hvilsted, H. Tenhu Polymer, 48 (2007) 4087-4096........ The resulting hydrogels were studied with respect to the polymer concentration, temperature and ionic strength.3 REFERENCES 1. Nuopponen M.; Kalliomaki K.; Laukkanen A.; Hietala S.; Tenhu H. 1. Polym. Sci. Polym. Chern. 2008, 46, 38-46. 2. Hietala S.; Nuopponen M.; Kalliomaki K.; Tenhu H. Macromolecules...

  18. Protein addressing on patterned microchip by coupling chitosan electrodeposition and 'electro-click' chemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Xiao-Wen; Qiu, Ling; Nie, Zhen; Xiao, Ling; Payne, Gregory F; Du, Yumin

    2013-12-01

    Many applications in proteomics and lab-on-chip analysis require methods that guide proteins to assemble at surfaces with high spatial and temporal control. Electrical inputs are particularly convenient to control, and there has been considerable effort to discover simple and generic mechanisms that allow electrical inputs to trigger protein assembly on-demand. Here, we report the electroaddressing of a protein to a patterned surface by coupling two generic electroaddressing mechanisms. First, we electrodeposit the stimuli-responsive film-forming aminopolysaccharide chitosan to form a hydrogel matrix at the electrode surface. After deposition, the matrix is chemically functionalized with alkyne groups. Second, we ''electro-click' an azide-tagged protein to the functionalized matrix using electrical signals to trigger conjugation by Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions. Specifically, a cathodic potential is applied to the matrix-coated electrode to reduce Cu(II) to Cu(I) which is required for the click reaction. Using fluorescently-labeled bovine serum albumin as our model, we demonstrate that protein conjugation can be controlled spatially and temporally. We anticipate that the coupling of polysaccharide electrodeposition and electro-click chemistry will provide a simple and generic approach to electroaddress proteins within compatible hydrogel matrices.

  19. Radiation-induced synthesis and swelling properties of p(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate/itaconic acid/oligo (ethylene glycol) acrylate) terpolymeric hydrogels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Micic, M.; Stamenic, D.; Suljovrujic, E.

    2012-01-01

    Since it is presumed that by incorporation of pH-responsive (IA) and temperature-responsive (OEGA) co-monomers, it is possible to prepare P(HEMA/IA/OEGA) hydrogels with dual (pH and thermo) responsiveness, the main purpose of our study is to investigate the influence of different mole fractions of IA and especially OEGA on the diversity of the swelling properties of the obtained hydrogels. For that reason, a series of terpolymeric hydrogels with different mole ratios of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), itaconic acid (IA) and oligo(ethylene glycol) acrylates (OEGA) was synthesised by gamma radiation. The obtained hydrogels were characterised by swelling studies in the wide pH (2.2–9.0) and temperature range (20–70 °C), confirming dual (pH and thermo) responsiveness and a large variation in the swelling capability. It was observed that the equilibrium swelling of P(HEMA/IA/OEGA) hydrogels, for a constant amount of IA, increased progressively with an increase in OEGA share. On the other hand, the dissociation of carboxyl groups from IA occurs at pH>4; therefore, small mole fractions of IA render good pH sensitivity and a large increase in the swelling capacity of these hydrogels at higher pH values. Additional characterisation of structure and properties was conducted by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and mechanical measurements, confirming that the inherent properties of P(HEMA/IA/OEGA) hydrogels can be significantly tuned by variation in their composition. According to all presented, it seems that the obtained hydrogels can be a beneficial synergetic combination for controlled delivery of bioactive molecules such as drugs, peptides, proteins, etc. - Highlights: ► pH- and thermo-sensitive P(HEMA/IA/OEGA) hydrogels were synthesised by γ radiation. ► OEGA units have a large hydrophilic potential. ► Swelling capacity increases with the OEGA content. ► Variation in composition of hydrogels can give

  20. H3PO4 imbibed polyacrylamide-graft-chitosan frameworks for high-temperature proton exchange membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Shuangshuang; Tang, Qunwei; He, Benlin; Chen, Haiyan; Li, Qinghua; Ma, Chunqing; Jin, Suyue; Liu, Zhichao

    2014-03-01

    Proton exchange membrane (PEM), transferring protons from anode to cathode, is a key component in a PEM fuel cell. In the current work, a new class of PEMs are synthesized benefiting from the imbibition behavior of three-dimensional (3D) polyacrylamide-graft-chitosan (PAAm-graft-chitosan) frameworks to H3PO4 aqueous solution. Interconnected 3D framework of PAAm-graft-chitosan provides tremendous space for holding proton-conducting H3PO4. The highest anhydrous proton conductivity of 0.13 S cm-1 at 165 °C is obtained. A fuel cell using a thick membrane as a PEM showed a peak power density of 405 mW cm-2 with O2 and H2 as the oxidant and fuel, respectively. Results indicate that the interconnected 3D framework provides superhighway for proton conduction. The valued merits on anhydrous proton conductivity, huge H3PO4 loading, and easy synthesis promise the new membranes to be good alternatives as high-temperature PEMs.

  1. Thermosensitive copolymeric hydrogels with the regulated temperature of a phase transition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samchenko, Yu.M.; Konovalova, V.V.; Korotich, E.I.; Poltoratskaya, T.P.; Pobegaj, A.A.; Burban, A.F.; Ul'berg, Z.R.; Samchenko, Yu.M.; Konovalova, V.V.; Korotich, E.I.; Poltoratskaya, T.P.; Pobegaj, A.A.; Burban, A.F.; Ul'berg, Z.R.

    2011-01-01

    The work is devoted to the methods of obtaining the thermosensitive copolymeric hydrogels based on the NIPAAm with acrylic acid and its derivatives such as acrylamide, acrylonitrile, and methylacrylate. The mechanisms of thermoinitiated phase transitions in hydrogel matrices and the regularities of the thermoinitiated release of model compounds and drugs (aniline, novocaine, and sodium diclofenac) from copolymeric hydrogel are investigated.

  2. [Construction of injectable tissue engineered nucleus pulposus in vitro].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Huake; Wang, Jian; Chen, Chao; Liu, Jie; Zhou, Yue

    2009-02-01

    To investigate the feasibility of using thermo-sensitive chitosan hydrogen as a scaffold to construct tissue engineered injectable nucleus pulposus (NP). Three-month-old neonatal New Zealand rabbits (male or female) weighing 150-200 g were selected to isolate and culture NP cells. The thermo-sensitive chitosan hydrogel scaffold was made of chitosan, disodium beta-glycerophosphate and hydroxyethyl cellulose. Its physical properties and gross condition were observed. The tissue engineered NP was constructed by compounding the scaffold and rabbit NP cells. Then, the viability of NP cells in the chitosan hydrogel was observed 2 days after compound culture and the growth condition of NP cells on the scaffold was observed by SEM 7 days after compound culture. NP cells went through histology and immunohistochemistry detection and their secretion of aggrecan and expression of Col II mRNA were analyzed by RT-PCR 21 days after compound culture. The thermo-sensitive chitosan hydrogel was liquid at room temperature and solidified into gel at 37 degrees C (15 minutes) due to crosslinking reaction. Acridine orange-propidium iodide staining showed that the viability rate of NP cells in chitosan hydrogel was above 90%. Scanning electron microscope observation demonstrated that the NP cells were distributed in the reticulate scaffold, with ECM on their surfaces. The results of HE, toluidine blue, safranin O and histology and immunohistochemistry staining confirmed that the NP cells in chitosan hydrogel were capable of producing ECM. RT-PCR results showed that the secretion of Col II and aggrecan mRNA in NP cells cultured three-dimensionally by chitosan hydrogen scaffold were 0.631 +/- 0.064 and 0.832 +/- 0.052, respectively, showing more strengths of producing matrix than that of monolayer culture (0.528 +/- 0.039, 0.773 +/- 0.046) with a significant difference (P compound culture, and may be a potential NP cells carrier for tissue engineered NP.

  3. Responsive hydrogels--structurally and dimensionally optimized smart frameworks for applications in catalysis, micro-system technology and material science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Döring, Artjom; Birnbaum, Wolfgang; Kuckling, Dirk

    2013-09-07

    Although the technological and scientific importance of functional polymers has been well established over the last few decades, the most recent focus that has attracted much attention has been on stimuli-responsive polymers. This group of materials is of particular interest due to its ability to respond to internal and/or external chemico-physical stimuli, which is often manifested as large macroscopic responses. Aside from scientific challenges of designing stimuli-responsive polymers, the main technological interest lies in their numerous applications ranging from catalysis through microsystem technology and chemomechanical actuators to sensors that have been extensively explored. Since the phase transition phenomenon of hydrogels is theoretically well understood advanced materials based on the predictions can be prepared. Since the volume phase transition of hydrogels is a diffusion-limited process the size of the synthesized hydrogels is an important factor. Consistent downscaling of the gel size will result in fast smart gels with sufficient response times. In order to apply smart gels in microsystems and sensors, new preparation techniques for hydrogels have to be developed. For the up-coming nanotechnology, nano-sized gels as actuating materials would be of great interest.

  4. Utilization of natural polysaccharides by radiation in Korea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Young Keun; Young Chang Nho

    2001-01-01

    Radiation can induce a chemical reaction to modify polymer under even solid conditions or in low temperatures. Radiation crosslinking can be easily adjusted and is easily reproducible by controlling the radiation dose. The finished product contains no residues of substances required to initiate the chemical crosslinking which can restrict the application possibilities. In these studies, hydrogels from a mixture of chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/Poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone (PVP) were made by 'freezing and thawing', or gamma-ray irradiation or two steps of 'freezing and thawing' and gamma-ray irradiation for wound dressing. Mechanical properties such as gelation, water absorptivity, and gel strength were examined to evaluate the hydrogels for wound dressing. The composition of PVA:PVP was 60:40, PVA/PVP: chitosan ratio was in the range 9:1 - 7:3, and the solid concentration of PVA/PVP/chitosan solution was 15wt%. Gamma irradiation doses of 25, 35,50, 60 and 70kGy were exposed to a mixture of PVA/PVP/chitosan to evaluate the effect of irradiation dose on the mechanical properties of hydrogels. Water-soluble chitosan was used in this experiment. The gelation of hydrogels was higher when two steps of 'freezing and thawing' and irradiation were used than when only 'freezing and thawing' was utilized. Gel content was influenced slightly by PVA/PVP: chitosan composition and irradiation dose, but swelling was influenced greatly by them. The swelling percent was much increased as the composition of chitosan in PVA/PVP/chitosan increased. (author)

  5. 3D differentiation of neural stem cells in macroporous photopolymerizable hydrogel scaffolds.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hang Li

    Full Text Available Neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs are the stem cell of the adult central nervous system (CNS. These cells are able to differentiate into the major cell types found in the CNS (neurons, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, thus NSPCs are the mechanism by which the adult CNS could potentially regenerate after injury or disorder. Microenviromental factors are critical for guiding NSPC differentiation and are thus important for neural tissue engineering. In this study, D-mannitol crystals were mixed with photocrosslinkable methacrylamide chitosan (MAC as a porogen to enhance pore size during hydrogel formation. D-mannitol was admixed to MAC at 5, 10 and 20 wt% D-mannitol per total initial hydrogel weight. D-mannitol crystals were observed to dissolve and leave the scaffold within 1 hr. Quantification of resulting average pore sizes showed that D-mannitol addition resulted in larger average pore size (5 wt%, 4060±160 µm(2, 10 wt%, 6330±1160 µm(2, 20 wt%, 7600±1550 µm(2 compared with controls (0 wt%, 3150±220 µm(2. Oxygen diffusion studies demonstrated that larger average pore area resulted in enhanced oxygen diffusion through scaffolds. Finally, the differentiation responses of NSPCs to phenotypic differentiation conditions were studied for neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in hydrogels of varied porosity over 14 d. Quantification of total cell numbers at day 7 and 14, showed that cell numbers decreased with increased porosity and over the length of the culture. At day 14 immunohistochemistry quantification for primary cell types demonstrated significant differentiation to the desired cells types, and that total percentages of each cell type was greatest when scaffolds were more porous. These results suggest that larger pore sizes in MAC hydrogels effectively promote NSPC 3D differentiation.

  6. Biomimetic three-dimensional nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite and magnetically synthesized single-walled carbon nanotube chitosan nanocomposite for bone regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Im, Owen; Li, Jian; Wang, Mian; Zhang, Lijie Grace; Keidar, Michael

    2012-01-01

    Background Many shortcomings exist in the traditional methods of treating bone defects, such as donor tissue shortages for autografts and disease transmission for allografts. The objective of this study was to design a novel three-dimensional nanostructured bone substitute based on magnetically synthesized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), biomimetic hydrothermally treated nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite, and a biocompatible hydrogel (chitosan). Both nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite and SWCNT have a biomimetic nanostructure, excellent osteoconductivity, and high potential to improve the load-bearing capacity of hydrogels. Methods Specifically, three-dimensional porous chitosan scaffolds with different concentrations of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite and SWCNT were created to support the growth of human osteoblasts (bone-forming cells) using a lyophilization procedure. Two types of SWCNT were synthesized in an arc discharge with a magnetic field (B-SWCNT) and without a magnetic field (N-SWCNT) for improving bone regeneration. Results Nanocomposites containing magnetically synthesized B-SWCNT had superior cytocompatibility properties when compared with nonmagnetically synthesized N-SWCNT. B-SWCNT have much smaller diameters and are twice as long as their nonmagnetically prepared counterparts, indicating that the dimensions of carbon nanotubes can have a substantial effect on osteoblast attachment. Conclusion This study demonstrated that a chitosan nanocomposite with both B-SWCNT and 20% nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite could achieve a higher osteoblast density when compared with the other experimental groups, thus making this nanocomposite promising for further exploration for bone regeneration. PMID:22619545

  7. A composite scaffold of MSC affinity peptide-modified demineralized bone matrix particles and chitosan hydrogel for cartilage regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Qingyang; Man, Zhentao; Dai, Linghui; Huang, Hongjie; Zhang, Xin; Hu, Xiaoqing; Shao, Zhenxing; Zhu, Jingxian; Zhang, Jiying; Fu, Xin; Duan, Xiaoning; Ao, Yingfang

    2015-12-01

    Articular cartilage injury is still a significant challenge because of the poor intrinsic healing potential of cartilage. Stem cell-based tissue engineering is a promising technique for cartilage repair. As cartilage defects are usually irregular in clinical settings, scaffolds with moldability that can fill any shape of cartilage defects and closely integrate with the host cartilage are desirable. In this study, we constructed a composite scaffold combining mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) E7 affinity peptide-modified demineralized bone matrix (DBM) particles and chitosan (CS) hydrogel for cartilage engineering. This solid-supported composite scaffold exhibited appropriate porosity, which provided a 3D microenvironment that supports cell adhesion and proliferation. Cell proliferation and DNA content analysis indicated that the DBM-E7/CS scaffold promoted better rat bone marrow-derived MSCs (BMMSCs) survival than the CS or DBM/CS groups. Meanwhile, the DBM-E7/CS scaffold increased matrix production and improved chondrogenic differentiation ability of BMMSCs in vitro. Furthermore, after implantation in vivo for four weeks, compared to those in control groups, the regenerated issue in the DBM-E7/CS group exhibited translucent and superior cartilage-like structures, as indicated by gross observation, histological examination, and assessment of matrix staining. Overall, the functional composite scaffold of DBM-E7/CS is a promising option for repairing irregularly shaped cartilage defects.

  8. Evaluation of a Novel HA/ZrO2-Based Porous Bioceramic Artificial Vertebral Body Combined with a rhBMP-2/Chitosan Slow-Release Hydrogel.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yihui Shi

    Full Text Available A new HA/ZrO2-based porous bioceramic artificial vertebral body (AVB, carried a recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2/chitosan slow-release hydrogel was prepared to repair vertebral bone defect in beagles. An ionic cross-linking was used to prepare the chitosan hydrogel (CS gel as the rhBMP-2 slow-release carrier. The vertebral body defects were implanted with the rhBMP-2-loaded AVB in group A, or a non-drug-loaded AVB in group B, or autologous iliac in group C. The encapsulation rate of rhBMP-2 in rhBMP-2-loaded CS gel was 91.88±1.53%, with a drug load of 39.84±2.34 ng/mg. At 6, 12, 24 weeks postoperatively, radiography showed that the bone calluses gradually increased with time in group A, where the artificial vertebral body had completely fused with host-bone at 24 weeks after surgery. In group C, an apparent bone remodeling was occurred in the early stages, and the graft-bone and host-bone had also fused completely at 24 weeks postoperatively. In group B, fusion occurred less than in groups A and C. At 24 weeks after surgery, micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT revealed that the volume of newly-formed bone in group A was significantly more than in group B (p<0.05. At 24 weeks after surgery, ultra-compressive strengths of the operated segments were 14.03±1.66 MPa in group A, 8.62±1.24 MPa in group B, and 13.78±1.43 MPa in group C. Groups A and C were both significantly higher than group B (p < 0.05. At 24 weeks postoperatively, the hard tissue sections showed that the AVB of group A had tightly fused with host bone, and that pores of the AVB had been filled with abundant nearly mature bone, and that the new bone structured similarly to a trabecular framework, which was similar to that in group C. In contrast, implant fusion of the AVB in group B was not as apparent as group A. In conclusion, the novel HA/ZrO2-based porous bioceramic AVB carried the rhBMP-2-loaded CS gel can promote the repair of bony defect, and induce

  9. A Self-Assembling Protein Hydrogel Technology for Enzyme Incorporation onto Electrodes in Biofuel Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-10-26

    an ordered 3-dimentional space. In the first stage, we constructed protein building blocks able to self-assemble into 3D protein hydrogel upon...Chem 23, 1891-1901 (2012). 26. Jung, S. & Yi, H. Facile Strategy for Protein Conjugation with Chitosan -Poly(ethylene glycol) Hybrid Microparticle...multiple enzymes in an ordered 3-dimentional space. In the first stage, we constructed protein building blocks able to self-assemble into 3D protein

  10. Effect of stiffness of chitosan-hyaluronic acid dialdehyde hydrogels on the viability and growth of encapsulated chondrocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    V Thomas, Lynda; Vg, Rahul; D Nair, Prabha

    2017-11-01

    Substrate elasticity or stiffness can influence the phenotypic and functional characteristics of chondrocytes. This work aimed to study the effect of varying stiffness compositions of a two-component injectable hydrogel based on chitosan (CH) and oxidized hyaluronic acid (HDA) on the growth and functionality of encapsulated chondrocytes. Three different ratios of the gel were prepared (10:1,10:3 and 10:5 CH-HDA) and characterized. The stiffness of the gels was evaluated from the force displacement curves using force spectroscopy AFM analysis. Rabbit articular chondrocytes were harvested and the cells from Passage 2 to 4 were used for the encapsulation study. The viability and ECM production of encapsulated chondrocytes were assessed at 7day, 14day and 28day post culture. The results of the study show that as the ratio of hyaluronic acid dialdehyde component was increased, the stiffness of the gels increased from 130.78±19.83kPa to 181.47±19.77kPa which was also evidenced from the decrease in gelling time. Although there was an increase in the percentage of viable encapsulated cells which also maintained the spherical phenotype in the less stiff gels, decreased expression of ECM markers- Collagen type II and Glycosaminoglycans was observed compared to the stiffer gels. These findings indicate that gel stiffness strongly impacts the chondrocyte microenvironment both in maintenance of phenotypic integrity and ECM production. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. Dual stimuli-responsive nano-vehicles for controlled drug delivery: mesoporous silica nanoparticles end-capped with natural chitosan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hakeem, Abdul; Duan, Ruixue; Zahid, Fouzia; Dong, Chao; Wang, Boya; Hong, Fan; Ou, Xiaowen; Jia, Yongmei; Lou, Xiaoding; Xia, Fan

    2014-11-11

    Herein, we report natural chitosan end-capped MCM-41 type MSNPs as novel, dual stimuli, responsive nano-vehicles for controlled anticancer drug delivery. The chitosan nanovalves tightly close the pores of the MSNPs to control premature cargo release under physiological conditions but respond to lysozyme and acidic media to release the trapped cargo.

  12. Biodegradable, pH-sensitive chitosan beads obtained under microwave radiation for advanced cell culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piątkowski, Marek; Janus, Łukasz; Radwan-Pragłowska, Julia; Bogdał, Dariusz; Matysek, Dalibor

    2018-04-01

    A new type of promising chitosan beads with advanced properties were obtained under microwave radiation according to Green Chemistry principles. Biomaterials were prepared using chitosan as raw material and glutamic acid/1,5-pentanodiol mixture as crosslinking agents. Additionally beads were modified with Tilia platyphyllos extract to enhance their antioxidant properties. Beads were investigated over their chemical structure by FT-IR analysis. Also their morphology has been investigated by SEM method. Additionally swelling capacity of the obtained hydrogels was determined. Lack of cytotoxicity has been confirmed by MTT assay. Proliferation studies were carried out on L929 mouse fibroblasts. Advanced properties of the obtained beads were investigated by studying pH sensitivity and antioxidant properties by DPPH method. Also susceptibility to degradation and biodegradation by Sturm Test method was evaluated. Results shows that proposed chitosan beads and their eco-friendly synthesis method can be applied in cell therapy and tissue engineering. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. P25-graphene hydrogels: room-temperature synthesis and application for removal of methylene blue from aqueous solution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, Chengyi; Zhang, Qinghong; Li, Yaogang; Wang, Hongzhi

    2012-02-29

    Herein we report a room-temperature synthesis of chemically bonded TiO2 (P25)-graphene composite hydrogels and their use as high performance visible light photocatalysts. The three-dimensional (3D) TiO2-carbon composite exhibits a significant enhancement in the reaction rate in the decontamination of methylene blue, compared to the bare P25. The 3D P25-graphene hydrogel is much easier to prepare and apply as a macroscopic device, compared to the 2D P25-graphene sheets. This work could provide new insights into the room-temperature synthesis of graphene-based materials. As a kind of the novel 3D graphene-based composite, the obtained high performance P25-graphene gel could be widely used in the environmental protection issues. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  14. Preparation and Characterization of Breathable Hemostatic Hydrogel Dressings and Determination of Their Effects on Full-Thickness Defects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hong Pan

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Hydrogel-based wound dressings provide a cooling sensation, a moist environment, and act as a barrier to microbes for wounds. In this study, a series of soft, flexible, porous non-stick hydrogel dressings were prepared through the simple repeated freeze-thawing of a poly(vinyl alcohol, human-like collagen (or and carboxymethyl chitosan mixed solution rather than chemical cross-linking and Tween80 was added as pore-forming agent for cutaneous wound healing. Some of their physical and chemical properties were characterized. Interestingly, hydrogel PVA-HLC-T80 and PVA-HLC-CS-T80 presented excellent swelling ratios, bacterial barrier activity, moisture vapor permeability, hemostasis activity and biocompatibility. Furthermore, in vivo evaluation of the healing capacity of these two hydrogels was checked by creating a full-thickness wound defect (1.3 cm × 1.3 cm in rabbit. Macroscopic observation and subsequent hematoxylin eosin staining (H&E staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM analysis at regular time intervals for 18 days revealed that the hydrogels significantly enhanced wound healing by reducing inflammation, promoting granulation tissue formation, collagen deposition and accelerating re-epithelialization. Taken together, the obtained data strongly encourage the use of these multifunctional hydrogels for skin wound dressings.

  15. Effect drug loading process on dissolution mechanism of encapsulated amoxicillin trihydrate in hydrogel semi-IPN chitosan methyl cellulose with pore forming agent KHCO3 as a floating drug delivery system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fithawati, Garnis; Budianto, Emil

    2018-04-01

    Common treatment for Helicobacter pylori by repeated oral consumption of amoxicillin trihydrate is not effective. Amoxicillin trihydrate has a very short residence time in stomach which leads into its ineffectiveness. Residence time of amoxicillin trihydrate can be improved by encapsulating amoxicillin trihydrate into a floating drug delivery system. In this study, amoxicillin trihydrate is encapsulated into hydrogel semi-IPN chitosan methyl cellulose matrix as a floating drug delivery system and then treated with 20% KHCO3 as pore forming agent. Drug loading process used are in-situ loading and post loading. In-situ loading process has higher efficiency percentage and dissolution percentage than post loading process. In-situ loading process resulted 100% efficiency with 92,70% dissolution percentage. Post loading process resulted 98,7% efficiency with 90,42% dissolution percentage. Mechanism of drug dissolution study by kinetics approach showed both in-situ loading process and post loading process are diffusion and degradation process (n=0,4913) and (n=0,4602) respectively. These results are supported by characterization data from optical microscope and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Data from optical microscope showed both loading process resulted in coarser hydrogel surface. Characterization using SEM showed elongated pores in both loading process after dissolution test.

  16. Computational Study of pH-sensitive Hydrogel-based Microfluidic Flow Controllers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurnia, Jundika C.; Birgersson, Erik; Mujumdar, Arun S.

    2011-01-01

    This computational study investigates the sensing and actuating behavior of a pH-sensitive hydrogel-based microfluidic flow controller. This hydrogel-based flow controller has inherent advantage in its unique stimuli-sensitive properties, removing the need for an external power supply. The predicted swelling behavior the hydrogel is validated with steady-state and transient experiments. We then demonstrate how the model is implemented to study the sensing and actuating behavior of hydrogels for different microfluidic flow channel/hydrogel configurations: e.g., for flow in a T-junction with single and multiple hydrogels. In short, the results suggest that the response of the hydrogel-based flow controller is slow. Therefore, two strategies to improve the response rate of the hydrogels are proposed and demonstrated. Finally, we highlight that the model can be extended to include other stimuli-responsive hydrogels such as thermo-, electric-, and glucose-sensitive hydrogels. PMID:24956303

  17. SUPERCRITICAL FLUID TREATMENT OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL HYDROGEL MATRICES, COMPOSED OF CHITOSAN DERIVATIVES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. S. Timashev

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim. Controlled treatment of the physico-chemical and mechanical properties of a three-dimensional crosslinked matrix based on reactive chitosan. Materials and methods. The three-dimensional matrices were obtained using photosensitive composition based on allyl chitosan (5 wt%, poly(ethylene glycol diacrylate (8 wt% and the photoinitiator Irgacure 2959 (1 wt% by laser stereolithography setting. The kinetic swelling curves were constructed for structures in the base and salt forms of chitosan using gravimetric method and the contact angles were measured using droplet spreading. The supercritical fl uid setting (40 °C, 12 MPa was used to process matrices during 1.5 hours. Using nanohardness Piuma Nanoindenter we calculated values of Young’s modulus. The study of cytotoxicity was performed by direct contact with the culture of the NIH 3T3 mouse fi broblast cell line. Results. Architectonics of matrices fully repeats the program model. Matrices are uniform throughout and retain their shape after being transferred to the base form. Matrices compressed by 5% after treatment in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2 . The elastic modulus of matrices after scCO2 treatment is 4 times higher than the original matrix. The kinetic swelling curves have similar form. In this case the maximum degree of swelling for matrices in base form is 2–2.5 times greater than that of matrices in salt form. There was a surface hydrophobization after the material was transferred to the base form: the contact angle is 94°, and for the salt form it is 66°. The basic form absorbs liquid approximately 1.6 times faster. The fi lm thickness was increased in the area of contact with the liquid droplets after absorption by 133 and 87% for the base and the salt forms, respectively. Treatment of samples in scCO2 reduces their cytotoxicity from 2 degree of reaction (initial samples down to 1 degree of reaction. Conclusion. The use of supercritical carbon dioxide for scaffolds

  18. New sizing agents and flocculants derived from chitosan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hebeish, A.; Higay, A.; El-Shafei, A.

    2005-01-01

    Novel approaches for development of new textile sizing agents and flocculants were undertaken. One of these approaches is based on acid hydrolysis of chitosan and the other involves its carboxy methylation. Characterization of the hydrolyzed chitosan was performed through monitoring nitrogen content and apparent viscosity, while carboxymethyl chitosan was analyzed for degree of substitution (DS) along with apparent viscosity. Factors affecting both hydrolysis and carboxy methylation were investigated. The nitrogen content and apparent viscosity of chitosan decrease variably by increasing HCl concentration as well as time and temperature of hydrolysis. On the other hand, the DS of carboxymethyl chitosan increases by increasing the concentration of both sodium hydroxide and monochloroacetic acid and similarly increases by prolonging the duration and raising the temperature of carboxy methylation; in contrast with apparent viscosity which is inversely related to these parameters. Aqueous solutions of hydrolyzed chitosan or carboxymethyl chitosan were applied to light cotton fabric with a view to envision the technical feasibility of such water soluble chitosan for textile sizing. The size add-on on the light fabric is directly related to the concentration of the hydrolyzed or carboxymethyl chitosan in the sizing solution and so does the apparent viscosity of the latter. Hundred percent size removals could be achieved with the hydrolyzed chitosan irrespective or the size solution concentration provided that the latter is not less than 8%. Different situation is encountered with carboxymethyl chitosan where the percent size removal increase from 81% to 95% by increasing its concentration in the sizing solution from 5 % to 15%. Drying the sized fabric at 80 degree C for 5 minutes or 120 degree C for 3 minutes has practically no effect on percent size removal. The same holds true for heat treatment of the sized fabric at higher temperatures (up to 160 degree C) for longer

  19. Synthesis and characterisation of cross-linked chitosan composites functionalised with silver and gold nanoparticles for antimicrobial applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryan, Catherine; Alcock, Emma; Buttimer, Finbarr; Schmidt, Michael; Clarke, David; Pemble, Martyn; Bardosova, Maria

    2017-12-01

    We present a study of a range of cross-linked chitosan composites with potential antimicrobial applications. They were formed by cross-linking chitosan and siloxane networks and by introducing silver and gold nanoparticles (NPs). The aim was to investigate whether adding the metal NPs to the chitosan-siloxane composite would lead to a material with enhanced antimicrobial ability as compared to chitosan itself. The composites were synthesised in hydrogel form with the metal NPs embedded in the cross-linked chitosan network. Spectroscopic and microscopic techniques were employed to investigate the structural properties of the composite and the tensile strength of the structures was measured. It was found that the addition of metal NPs did not influence the mechanical strength of the composite. A crystal violet attachment assay results displayed a significant reduction in the attachment of E. coli to the cross-linked chitosan surfaces. Release profile tests suggest that the metal NPs do not contribute to the overall antimicrobial activity under neutral conditions. The contribution to the mechanical and antimicrobial properties from cross-linking with siloxane is significant, giving rise to a versatile, durable, antimicrobial material suitable for thin film formation, wound dressings or the coating of various surfaces where robustness and antimicrobial control are required.

  20. Effect of Extreme Cold Treatment on Morphology and Behavior of Hydrogels and Microgels (Poster Session)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-08-20

    capable of better managing a soldier’s comfort by regulating moisture and thermal properties • Hydrogel or microgel textile coatings are of interest...to understand the effect of cold temperature ( down to -80 ° C) on hydrogel and microgel particles properties and response to thermal stimuli • We...determine water uptake post freezing Sweat EFFECTS ON WATER UPTAKE PRELIMINARY MICROGEL THERMAL STUDIES MORPHOLOGY POST FREEZING PAA PEG PNIPAAm BEFORE AFTER

  1. Radiation-induced synthesis and swelling properties of p(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-itaconic acid-co-oligo(ethylene glycol) acrylate) copolymeric hydrogels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Micic, M.; Suljovrujic, E.

    2011-01-01

    Complete text of publication follows. Since it is presumed that by incorporation of pH-responsive (IA) and temperature-responsive (OEGA) co-monomers it is possible to prepare P(HEMA-co-IA-co-OEGA) hydrogels with duel (pH and thermo) responsiveness, the main purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of different mole fractions of IA and especially OEGA on the diversity of the swelling properties of obtained hydrogels. For that reason, a series of copolymeric hydrogels with different mole ratios of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), itaconic acid (IA) and oligo(ethylene glycol) acrylates (OEGA) was synthesized by gamma radiation. The obtained hydrogels were characterized by swelling studies in the wide pH (2.2-9.0) and temperature range (25-70 deg C), confirming dual (pH and thermo) responsiveness and a large variation in swelling capability. It was observed that the equilibrium swelling of P(HEMA-co-IA-co-OEGA) hydrogels, for a constant amount of IA, increases progressively with increasing in OEGA share. On the other hand, the dissociation of carboxyl (-COOH) groups from IA occurs at pH > 4; therefore, small mole fractions of IA render good pH sensitivity and a large increase in the swelling capacity of these hydrogels at higher pH values. Additional characterization of structure and properties was conducted by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and mechanical measurements, confirming that the inherent properties of the P(HEMA-co-IA-co-OEGA) hydrogels can be significantly tuned by variation in their composition. According to all presented, it seems that the obtained copolymeric hydrogels can be a beneficial synergetic combination for controlled delivery of bioactive molecules such as drugs, nucleic acids, peptides, and proteins.

  2. Chitosan-nanosilica hybrid materials: Preparation and properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Podust, T.V.; Kulik, T.V.; Palyanytsya, B.B.; Gun’ko, V.M.; Tóth, A.; Mikhalovska, L.; Menyhárd, A.; László, K.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Hybrid chitosan-nanosilica materials were synthesized using an adsorption modification method. • The chitosan adsorption capacity is higher on the silica/titania and silica/alumina than on the fumed silica. • Nanosilicas undergo structural and textural alterations due to modification by chitosan. • The more severe chitosan thermodestruction occurs on the silica/titania and silica/alumina surfaces than on the plain silica surface. - Abstract: The research focuses on the synthesis of novel organic–inorganic hybrid materials based on polysaccharide chitosan and nanosilicas (SiO 2 , TiO 2 /SiO 2 and Al 2 O 3 /SiO 2 ). The chitosan modified nanooxides were obtained by the equilibrium adsorption method. The chitosan adsorption capacities of silica/titania and silica/alumina are higher than of the plain silica due to the additional active sites present on the surfaces of the mixed oxides. The hybrid materials were characterized by low-temperature nitrogen adsorption/desorption, photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetry (TG/DTG) and temperature-programmed desorption with mass spectrometry control (TPD MS) methods. The chitosan treatment only modestly influences the surface area S BET of the nanooxides but the rearrangement of the secondary and tertiary structures (aggregates and agglomerates) results in an enhancement of the mesoporosity and affects the size of the aggregates. The more severe thermodestruction of the polysaccharide desorbing from the modified mixed silicas indicates a stronger interaction between the chitosan and the mixed oxides compared to the silanol groups of the plain silica surface

  3. Chitosan-nanosilica hybrid materials: Preparation and properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Podust, T.V., E-mail: tania_list@yahoo.com [Chuiko Institute of Surface Chemistry, 17 General Naumov Street, Kyiv 03164 (Ukraine); Kulik, T.V., E-mail: tanyakulyk@i.ua [Chuiko Institute of Surface Chemistry, 17 General Naumov Street, Kyiv 03164 (Ukraine); Palyanytsya, B.B.; Gun’ko, V.M. [Chuiko Institute of Surface Chemistry, 17 General Naumov Street, Kyiv 03164 (Ukraine); Tóth, A. [Department of Physical Chemistry and Material Science, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, H-1521 Budapest (Hungary); Mikhalovska, L. [School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Lewes Road, Brighton BN2 4GJ (United Kingdom); Menyhárd, A. [Department of Physical Chemistry and Material Science, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, H-1521 Budapest (Hungary); Institute of Materials Science and Environmental Chemistry, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Hungary); László, K. [Department of Physical Chemistry and Material Science, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, H-1521 Budapest (Hungary)

    2014-11-30

    Highlights: • Hybrid chitosan-nanosilica materials were synthesized using an adsorption modification method. • The chitosan adsorption capacity is higher on the silica/titania and silica/alumina than on the fumed silica. • Nanosilicas undergo structural and textural alterations due to modification by chitosan. • The more severe chitosan thermodestruction occurs on the silica/titania and silica/alumina surfaces than on the plain silica surface. - Abstract: The research focuses on the synthesis of novel organic–inorganic hybrid materials based on polysaccharide chitosan and nanosilicas (SiO{sub 2}, TiO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/SiO{sub 2}). The chitosan modified nanooxides were obtained by the equilibrium adsorption method. The chitosan adsorption capacities of silica/titania and silica/alumina are higher than of the plain silica due to the additional active sites present on the surfaces of the mixed oxides. The hybrid materials were characterized by low-temperature nitrogen adsorption/desorption, photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetry (TG/DTG) and temperature-programmed desorption with mass spectrometry control (TPD MS) methods. The chitosan treatment only modestly influences the surface area S{sub BET} of the nanooxides but the rearrangement of the secondary and tertiary structures (aggregates and agglomerates) results in an enhancement of the mesoporosity and affects the size of the aggregates. The more severe thermodestruction of the polysaccharide desorbing from the modified mixed silicas indicates a stronger interaction between the chitosan and the mixed oxides compared to the silanol groups of the plain silica surface.

  4. Immobilization of catalase on chitosan and amino acid- modified chitosan beads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Başak, Esra; Aydemir, Tülin

    2013-08-01

    Bovine liver catalase was covalently immobilized onto amino acid-modified chitosan beads. The beads were characterized with SEM, FTIR, TGA and the effects of immobilization on optimum pH and temperature, thermostability, reusability were evaluated. Immobilized catalase showed the maximal enzyme activity at pH 7.0 at 30°C. The kinetic parameters, Km and Vmax, for immobilized catalase on alanine-chitosan beads and lysine-chitosan beads were estimated to be 25.67 mM, 27 mM and 201.39 μmol H2O2/min, 197.50 μmol H2O2/min, respectively. The activity of the immobilized catalase on Ala-CB and Lys-CB retained 40% of its high initial activity after 100 times of reuse.

  5. Preparation, characterization and antimicrobial property of ag+- nano Chitosan/ZSM-5: novel Hybrid Biocomposites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maasoumeh Khatamiana

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Objective(s: Binary hybrids of chitosan-zeolite have many interesting applications in separation and bacteriostatic activity. Materials and Methods: Template free ZSM-5 zeolite was synthesized by hydrothermal method, physical hydrogels of nano chitosan in the colloidal domain were obtained in the absence of toxic organic solvent and then nano chitosan/ZSM-5 hybrid composites with nano chitosan contents of 0.35%, 3.5%, 35% wt.% were prepared. The as prepared hybrid composites were ion-exchanged with Ag cations. Results: XRD and FT-IR results revealed a good crystalinity of as synthesized template frees ZSM-5 with BET surface area of 307 m2g-1. Presence of chitosan in composites was confirmed by XRD patterns and FT-IR spectroscopic analysis, the chitosan content in composite was obtained with TG analysis. SEM analysis of composites shows that chitosan particles were dispersed within the nanometer scale. The antimicrobial activity of different samples was investigated and the results showed that the Ag+-exchanged samples have the highest antibacterial properties. Cancer cell line A549 cell line were cultured in designated medium treated with Ag+-exchanged samples at the concentration of 0.01 to 0.5 mg/ml. After 24 and 48 hours incubation, the efficacy of Ag+-exchanged samples to treat cancer cell lines were measured by means of cell viability test via MTT assay. Concentrations of 0.05 and 0.1 mg/ml of Ag+-exchanged samples induced a very low toxicity. Conclusion: These hybrid composite materials have potential applications on tissue engineering and antimicrobial food packaging.

  6. Application of irradiated chitosan for fruit preservation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kieu N. Lan [Post Harvest Technology Inst. of Vietnam (Viet Nam)

    2000-09-01

    Application of irradiated chitosan has been investigated for coating of fruit preservation. Anti-fungal activity of chitosan was induced by {gamma}-ray irradiation in dry condition at 25 kGy. The irradiated chitosan can suppress the growth of Aspergillus. spp. and Fusarium. spp. isolated from Vietnam mango. Fusarium. spp. was sensitive for irradiated chitosan than the other strains. The coating from irradiated chitosan solution at dose 31 kGy has prolonged the storage life of mango from 7 to 15 days. At the 15th day mango keeps good colour, natural ripening, without spoilage, weight loss 10%, whereas the control is spoiled completely and the sample of fruit with unirradiated chitosan coating could not ripe. The effect is due to the anti-fungal activity and change in physico-chemical properties of chitosan by irradiation. Radiation causes the decrease in viscosity affecting the gas permeability of coating film. The irradiated chitosan coating has positive effect on mango that is susceptible to chilling injury at low storage temperature. (author)

  7. Application of irradiated chitosan for fruit preservation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kieu N, Lan; Nguyen D, Lam; Yoshii, Fumio; Kume, Tamikazu

    2000-01-01

    Application of irradiated chitosan has been investigated for coating of fruit preservation. Anti-fungal activity of chitosan was induced by γ-ray irradiation in dry condition at 25 kGy. The irradiated chitosan can suppress the growth of Aspergillus. spp. and Fusarium. spp. isolated from Vietnam mango. Fusarium. spp. was sensitive for irradiated chitosan than the other strains. The coating from irradiated chitosan solution at dose 31 kGy has prolonged the storage life of mango from 7 to 15 days. At the 15th day mango keeps good colour, natural ripening, without spoilage, weight loss 10%, whereas the control is spoiled completely and the sample of fruit with unirradiated chitosan coating could not ripe. The effect is due to the anti-fungal activity and change in physico-chemical properties of chitosan by irradiation. Radiation causes the decrease in viscosity affecting the gas permeability of coating film. The irradiated chitosan coating has positive effect on mango that is susceptible to chilling injury at low storage temperature. (author)

  8. EUV lithographic radiation grafting of thermo-responsive hydrogel nanostructures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Farquet, Patrick; Padeste, Celestino; Solak, Harun H.; Guersel, Selmiye Alkan; Scherer, Guenther G.; Wokaun, Alexander

    2007-01-01

    Nanostructures of the thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAAm) and of PNIPAAm-block-poly(acrylic acid) copolymers were produced on poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-ethyelene) (ETFE) films using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithographic exposure with subsequent graft-polymerization. The phase transition of PNIPAAm nanostructures at the low critical solution temperature (LCST) at 32 deg. C was imaged by atomic force microscopy (AFM) phase contrast measurements in pure water. Results show a higher phase contrast for samples measured below the LCST temperature than for samples above the LCST, proving that the soft PNIPAAm hydrogel transforms into a much more compact conformation above the LCST. EUV lithographic exposures were combined with the reversible addition-fragment chain transfer (RAFT)-mediated polymerization using cyanoisopropyl dithiobenzoate (CPDB) as chain transfer agent to synthesize PNIPAAm block-copolymer nanostructures

  9. Polymer Structure and Water States in Salt-Containing Polyampholyte Hydrogels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xinda; Elliott, Janet A. W.; Lee, Byeongdu; Chung, Hyun-Joong

    The phase behavior of water in hydrogels has broad impact on various applications, such as lubrication, adhesion, and electrical conductivity, as well as the hydrogel's low temperature properties. The status of the water molecules is correlated to the structure of the polymer chains in the hydrogel. In this study, the structure and water status of a model charge-balanced polyampholyte poly(4-vinylbenzenesulfonate-co-[3-(methacryloylamino) propyl] trimethylammonium chloride), were investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). A globular network structure suggested by SAXS results dictated the depression of the freezing point of water in the hydrogel, as supported by the DSC results. The polyampholyte chains undergo an irreversible collapse during dialysis in deionized water. Such collapsed hydrogels are not able to prevent freezing of water molecules. The results of both synthesis condition and post-synthesis treatments for polyampholyte hydrogels provide us insights to design optimal polyampholyte hydrogels for low temperature applications.

  10. 5-FU-hydrogel inhibits colorectal peritoneal carcinomatosis and tumor growth in mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Yongsheng; Gong, Changyang; Yang, Li; Wu, Qinjie; Shi, Shuai; Shi, Huashan; Qian, Zhiyong; Wei, Yuquan

    2010-01-01

    Colorectal peritoneal carcinomatosis (CRPC) is a common form of systemic metastasis of intra-abdominal cancers. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy is a preferable option for colorectal cancer. Here we reported that a new system, 5-FU-loaded hydrogel system, can improve the therapeutic effects of intraperitoneal chemotherapy. A biodegradable PEG-PCL-PEG (PECE) triblock copolymer was successfully synthesized. The biodegradable and temperature sensitive hydrogel was developed to load 5-FU. Methylene blue-loaded hydrogel were also developed for visible observation of the drug release. The effects and toxicity of the 5-FU-hydrogel system were evaluated in a murine CRPC model. The hydrogel system is an injectable flowing solution at ambient temperature and forms a non-flowing gel depot at physiological temperature. 5-FU-hydrogel was subsequently injected into abdominal cavity in mice with CT26 cancer cells peritoneal dissemination. The results showed that the hydrogel delivery system prolonged the release of methylene blue; the 5-FU-hydrogel significantly inhibited the peritoneal dissemination and growth of CT26 cells. Furthermore, intraperitoneal administration of the 5-FU-hydrogel was well tolerated and showed less hematologic toxicity. Our data indicate that the 5-FU-hydrogel system can be considered as a new strategy for peritoneal carcinomatosis, and the hydrogel may provide a potential delivery system to load different chemotherapeutic drugs for peritoneal carcinomatosis of cancers

  11. Defense Response in Slash Pine: Chitosan Treatment Alters the Abundance of Specific mRNAs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mary E. Mason; John M. Davis

    1997-01-01

    We used differential display to identify chitosan responsive cDNAs in slashpine cell cultures. Two clones that showed increased mRNA abundance had sequence similarity to genes with roles in major plant defense responses, clone 18 to cinnamic acid 4-hydroxylase, and clone 30 to chitinase.

  12. Preparation, optimization and property of PVA-HA/PAA composite hydrogel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Kai; Liu, Jinlong; Yang, Xuehui; Zhang, Dekun

    2017-09-01

    PVA-HA/PAA composite hydrogel is prepared by freezing-thawing, PEG dehydration and annealing method. Orthogonal design method is used to choose the optimization combination. Results showed that HA and PVA have the maximum effect on water content. PVA and freezing-thawing cycles have the maximum effect on creep resistance and stress relaxation rate of hydrogel. Annealing temperature and freezing-thawing cycles have the maximum effect on compressive elastic modulus of hydrogel. Comparing with the water content and mechanical properties of 16 kinds of combination, PVA-HA/PAA composite hydrogel with freezing-thawing cycles of 3, annealing temperature of 120°C, PVA of 16%, HA of 2%, PAA of 4% has the optimization comprehensive properties. PVA-HA/PAA composite hydrogel has a porous network structure. There are some interactions between PVA, HA and PAA in hydrogel and the properties of hydrogel are strengthened. The annealing treatment improves the crystalline and crosslinking of hydrogel. Therefore, the annealing PVA-HA/PAA composite hydrogel has good thermostability, strength and mechanical properties. It also has good lubrication property and its friction coefficient is relative low. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Investigation into response characteristics of the chitosan gel artificial muscle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Gang; Yang, Junjie; Wang, Yujian; Zhao, Honghao; Fu, Yu; Zhang, Guangli; Yu, Shuqin; Wu, Yuda; Wei, Chengye; Liu, Xuxiong; Wang, Zhijie

    2018-01-01

    Bionic artificial muscle made from chitosan gel is an emerging type of the ionic electro active polymer with advantages of large deformation, low cost and environmental protection etc, which leads to a research focus and wide application in the fields of bionic engineering and intelligence material recently. In this paper, effects and improvement mechanisms of the direct casting and genipin cross-linking processes on response speed properties of the chitosan gel artificial muscle (CGAM) were mainly studied. Based on in-depth analysis of the CGAM response mechanism, a platform was built for testing the response performance of the CGAM, then its equivalent circuit and mathematical models were also established. Furthermore, control experiments were carried out to test and analyze several performances of the CGAM on response speed, electrical conductivity, mechanical properties and microstructure with different control variables. The experimental results illustrated that the CGAM assembled by direct casting enabled its electric actuating membrane and non-metallic electrode membrane tightly attached together with low contact resistance, which dramatically promoted the electrical conductivity of the CGAM resulting in nearly doubled response speed. Besides, different concentrations of genipin were adopted to cross-link the CGAM actuating membranes, and then it was found that the response speed of the uncross-linked CGAM was fast in the initial stage, but as time increased, it declined rapidly with poor steadiness. While there was no obvious decrease over time on the response speed of the CGAM cross-linked with low genipin concentration. Namely, its stability was getting better and better. In addition, the response speed of the CGAM cross-linked with low concentration of genipin was roughly the same as uncross-linked CGAM, which was quicker than that of high concentration. In this work, its internal mechanisms, feasible assembly technique and green modification method were

  14. Morfologia de hidrogéis-ipn termo-sensíveis e ph-responsivos para aplicação como biomaterial na cultura de células Morphology of temperature-sensitive and ph-responsive ipn-hydrogels for application as biomaterial for cell growth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adley F. Rubira

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available No presente trabalho, foram sintetizados hidrogéis com ambas as propriedades, termo-sensíveis e pH-responsivos, pela formação de redes de alginato de cálcio (alginato-Ca dentro de redes de poli(N-Isopropil Acrilamida (PNIPAAm, resultando em um sistema IPN (sistema de redes poliméricas interpenetradas. Através das análises por microscopia de varredura eletrônica (MEV e ensaios de intumescimento foi possível observar que os hidrogéis IPN exibiram forte contração quando aquecidos acima da LCST (temperatura critica inferior de solubilização da PNIPAAm, ou seja, acima de temperaturas de 30-35 ºC. Observou-se ainda que devido à contração do hidrogel, houve uma diminuição significativa nos tamanhos de poros os quais foram observados pelas micrografias. Observou-se também que no intervalo de pH estudado os hidrogéis de IPN sofreram significativa variação da estrutura com a variação desse parâmetro. Tal efeito foi atribuído à presença de grupos químicos carregados com alginato, os quais possuem carga elétrica negativa. Os resultados indicaram que o hidrogel formado por alginato-Ca e PNIPAAm possuíram características especificas após variação de pH e temperatura, e que tais características são derivadas dos compostos individuais envolvidos na síntese. Nesse caso, as propriedades de alginato-Ca e PNIPAAm livres foram preservadas dentro do hidrogel. Tal hidrogel ficou mais resistente à aplicação de uma tensão de compressão. Como conclusão, observou-se que os hidrogéis apresentaram morfologia característica para variações controladas de pH e temperatura, podendo ser eficientemente aplicados como biomaterial na cultura de células.In the present investigation, hydrogels with pH-responsive and temperature-sensitive properties were obtained by formation of alginate-Ca network inside the PNIPAAm network resulting in an interpenetrated network system (IPN. From scanning electron microscopy (SEM images and water

  15. Novel pH-sensitive photopolymer hydrogel and its holographic sensing response for solution characterization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hongpeng; Yu, Dan; Zhou, Ke; Wang, Shichan; Luo, Suhua; Li, Li; Wang, Weibo; Song, Qinggong

    2018-05-01

    Optical sensor based on pH-sensitive hydrogel has important practical applications in medical diagnosis and bio-sensor areas. This report details the experimental and theoretical results from a novel photosensitive polymer hydrogel holographic sensor, which formed by thermal polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, for the detection of pH in buffer. Volume grating recorded in the polymer hydrogel was employed in response to the performance of solution. Methacrylic acid with carboxyl groups was selected as the primary co-monomer to functionalize the matrix. Peak diffraction spectrum of holographic grating determined as a primary sensing parameter was characterized to reflect the change in pH. The extracted linear relation between peak wavelength and pH value provided a probability for the practical application of holographic sensor. To explore the sensing mechanism deeply, a theoretical model was used to describe the relevant holographic processes, including grating formation, dark diffusional enhancement, and final fringe swelling. Numerical result further showed all of the dynamic processes and internal sensing physical mechanism. These experimental and numerical results provided a significant foundation for the development of novel holographic sensor based on polymer hydrogel and improvement of its practical applicability.

  16. Biomimetic three-dimensional nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite and magnetically synthesized single-walled carbon nanotube chitosan nanocomposite for bone regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Im O

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Owen Im1, Jian Li2, Mian Wang2, Lijie Grace Zhang2,3, Michael Keidar2,31Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC; 2Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, 3Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Nanotechnology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USABackground: Many shortcomings exist in the traditional methods of treating bone defects, such as donor tissue shortages for autografts and disease transmission for allografts. The objective of this study was to design a novel three-dimensional nanostructured bone substitute based on magnetically synthesized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT, biomimetic hydrothermally treated nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite, and a biocompatible hydrogel (chitosan. Both nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite and SWCNT have a biomimetic nanostructure, excellent osteoconductivity, and high potential to improve the load-bearing capacity of hydrogels.Methods: Specifically, three-dimensional porous chitosan scaffolds with different concentrations of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite and SWCNT were created to support the growth of human osteoblasts (bone-forming cells using a lyophilization procedure. Two types of SWCNT were synthesized in an arc discharge with a magnetic field (B-SWCNT and without a magnetic field (N-SWCNT for improving bone regeneration.Results: Nanocomposites containing magnetically synthesized B-SWCNT had superior cytocompatibility properties when compared with nonmagnetically synthesized N-SWCNT. B-SWCNT have much smaller diameters and are twice as long as their nonmagnetically prepared counterparts, indicating that the dimensions of carbon nanotubes can have a substantial effect on osteoblast attachment.Conclusion: This study demonstrated that a chitosan nanocomposite with both B-SWCNT and 20% nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite could achieve a higher osteoblast density when compared with the other experimental groups, thus making this nanocomposite

  17. Dynamic behavior of acrylic acid clusters as quasi-mobile nodes in a model of hydrogel network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zidek, Jan; Milchev, Andrey; Vilgis, Thomas A.

    2012-12-01

    Using a molecular dynamics simulation, we study the thermo-mechanical behavior of a model hydrogel subject to deformation and change in temperature. The model is found to describe qualitatively poly-lactide-glycolide hydrogels in which acrylic acid (AA)-groups are believed to play the role of quasi-mobile nodes in the formation of a network. From our extensive analysis of the structure, formation, and disintegration of the AA-groups, we are able to elucidate the relationship between structure and viscous-elastic behavior of the model hydrogel. Thus, in qualitative agreement with observations, we find a softening of the mechanical response at large deformations, which is enhanced by growing temperature. Several observables as the non-affinity parameter A and the network rearrangement parameter V indicate the existence of a (temperature-dependent) threshold degree of deformation beyond which the quasi-elastic response of the model system turns over into plastic (ductile) one. The critical stretching when the affinity of the deformation is lost can be clearly located in terms of A and V as well as by analysis of the energy density of the system. The observed stress-strain relationship matches that of known experimental systems.

  18. Evaluation of the effect of the degree of acetylation on the inflammatory response to 3D porous chitosan scaffolds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbosa, Judite N; Amaral, Isabel F; Aguas, Artur P; Barbosa, Mário A

    2010-04-01

    The effect of the degree of acetylation (DA) of 3D chitosan (Ch) scaffolds on the inflammatory reaction was investigated. Chitosan porous scaffolds with DAs of 4 and 15% were implanted using a subcutaneous air-pouch model of inflammation. The initial acute inflammatory response was evaluated 24 and 48 h after implantation. To characterize the initial response, the recruitment and adhesion of inflammatory cells to the implant site was studied. The fibrous capsule formation and the infiltration of inflammatory cells within the scaffolds were evaluated for longer implantation times (2 and 4 weeks). Chitosan with DA 15% attracted the highest number of leukocytes to the implant site. High numbers of adherent inflammatory cells were also observed in this material. For longer implantation periods Ch scaffolds with a DA of 15% induced the formation of a thick fibrous capsule and a high infiltration of inflammatory cells within the scaffold. Our results indicate that the biological response to implanted Ch scaffolds was influenced by the DA. Chitosan with a DA of 15% induce a more intense inflammatory response when compared with DA 4% Ch. Because inflammation and healing are interrelated, this result may provide clues for the relative importance of acetyl and amine functional groups in tissue repair and regeneration.

  19. Bioinspired Smart Actuator Based on Graphene Oxide-Polymer Hybrid Hydrogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Tao; Huang, Jiahe; Yang, Yiqing; Zhang, Enzhong; Sun, Weixiang; Tong, Zhen

    2015-10-28

    Rapid response and strong mechanical properties are desired for smart materials used in soft actuators. A bioinspired hybrid hydrogel actuator was designed and prepared by series combination of three trunks of tough polymer-clay hydrogels to accomplish the comprehensive actuation of "extension-grasp-retraction" like a fishing rod. The hydrogels with thermo-creep and thermo-shrinking features were successively irradiated by near-infrared (NIR) to execute extension and retraction, respectively. The GO in the hydrogels absorbed the NIR energy and transformed it into thermo-energy rapidly and effectively. The hydrogel with adhesion or magnetic force was adopted as the "hook" of the hybrid hydrogel actuator for grasping object. The hook of the hybrid hydrogel actuator was replaceable according to applications, even with functional materials other than hydrogels. This study provides an innovative concept to explore new soft actuators through combining response hydrogels and programming the same stimulus.

  20. Rheological study of chitosan in solution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, Italo Guimaraes Medeiros da; Alves, Keila dos Santos; Balaban, Rosangela de Carvalho

    2009-01-01

    Chitosan is an abundant biopolymer with remarkable physicochemical and biological properties, usually employed in a wide range of applications. It acts as a cationic polyelectrolyte in aqueous acid solutions, leading to unique characteristics. In this work, chitosan was characterized by 1 H NMR and its rheological behavior were studied as function of chitosan sample, shear rate, polymer concentration, ionic strength, time and temperature. In order to calculate rheological parameters and to understand the macromolecular dynamic in solution, the Otswald-de Waele model was fitted. (author)

  1. Radiation synthesis and characterization of polyacrylic acid hydrogels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Mingcheng; Song Hongyan; Zhu Chengshen; He Suqin

    2007-01-01

    The pH-sensitive polyacrylic acid (PAA) hydrogels were synthesized by gamma-ray irradiation at an ambient temperature. The influences of dose, monomer concentration, cross-linking agent content, pH, and ionic strength on the swelling ratio (SR) of the PAA hydrogels were investigated in detail. The results show that the SR of the hydrogel decreases with an increase in the dose, monomer concentration, and cross-linking agent content. In alkaline solution, the SR of the hydrogels is much higher than that in acid solution. Also, the ionic strength can influence the SR of the hydrogels. The more the concentration, the lower the SR. (authors)

  2. Thermal Transport in Soft PAAm Hydrogels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ni Tang

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available As the interface between human and machine becomes blurred, hydrogel incorporated electronics and devices have emerged to be a new class of flexible/stretchable electronic and ionic devices due to their extraordinary properties, such as softness, mechanically robustness, and biocompatibility. However, heat dissipation in these devices could be a critical issue and remains unexplored. Here, we report the experimental measurements and equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of thermal conduction in polyacrylamide (PAAm hydrogels. The thermal conductivity of PAAm hydrogels can be modulated by both the effective crosslinking density and water content in hydrogels. The effective crosslinking density dependent thermal conductivity in hydrogels varies from 0.33 to 0.51 Wm−1K−1, giving a 54% enhancement. We attribute the crosslinking effect to the competition between the increased conduction pathways and the enhanced phonon scattering effect. Moreover, water content can act as filler in polymers which leads to nearly 40% enhancement in thermal conductivity in PAAm hydrogels with water content vary from 23 to 88 wt %. Furthermore, we find the thermal conductivity of PAAm hydrogel is insensitive to temperature in the range of 25–40 °C. Our study offers fundamental understanding of thermal transport in soft materials and provides design guidance for hydrogel-based devices.

  3. Supramolecular polyaniline hydrogel as a support for urease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Słoniewska, Anna; Pałys, Barbara

    2014-01-01

    Supramolecular hydrogels of conducting polymers are successfully used in bioelectrochemistry because of their mechanical and swelling properties of gels added to the specific electron transport properties of conducting polymers. We have studied polyaniline-poly(styrene sulfonate) (PANI–PSS) hydrogel as a substrate for the urease. The hydrogels were synthesized at pH = 0 and pH = 5. PANI–PSS hydrogel is a supramolecular self-assembly material consisting of positively-charged PANI chains and negatively-charged PSS chains. The hydrogel was studied by cyclic voltammetry, infrared and Raman spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Raman spectra revealed presence of phenazine rings in the hydrogel structure. Phenazine rings form covalent cross-linkers contributing to the hydrogel mechanical stability. The covalent cross-linkers influence the cyclic voltammetry responses of the hydrogel in acidic media. We tested the activity of urease immobilized in the PANI–PSS hydrogel by the physical adsorption or by the covalent bonding with the carbodiimide reaction. The enzyme immobilized in hydrogels prepared at higher pH value reveals significantly higher sensitivity. The method of the enzyme immobilization has smaller impact on the sensitivity. All hydrogel sensors reveal largely higher sensitivity to urea comparing to urease immobilized in the typical electrochemically deposited PANI films. The sensitivity of urease covalently bond to the hydrogel obtained at pH = 5 was as high as 1693 μA/(mol dm 3 ). The sensor response was linear in the urea concentration range from 10 −4 to 7 × 10 −2 mol/dm 3

  4. Grape Preservation Using Chitosan Combined with β-Cyclodextrin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Youwei

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The effect of 1% chitosan combined with 2% β-cyclodextrin to the preservation of fresh grapes under ambient temperature was investigated. The results indicated that the hydrogen bond formed between the hydroxyl group of β-cyclodextrin and the amidogen or hydroxyl group of chitosan and the crystal form of chitosan was also changed when cyclodextrin was doped into chitosan coating. The compound coating could prolong the shelf life of grapes, maintain lower respiration rate and higher activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase during storage time, and restrain weight loss and malonaldehyde content increase. Coating grapes with chitosan + β-cyclodextrin was a good method in postharvested grape preservation.

  5. Kinetic investigation and lifetime prediction of Cs-NIPAM-MBA-based thermo-responsive hydrogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Othman, Muhammad Bisyrul Hafi; Khan, Abbas; Ahmad, Zulkifli; Zakaria, Muhammad Razlan; Ullah, Faheem; Akil, Hazizan Md

    2016-01-20

    This study attempted to clarify the influence of a cross-linker, N,N-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA), and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) on the non-isothermal kinetic degradation, solid state and lifetime of hydrogels using the Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (F-W-O), Kissinger, and Coats-Redfern (C-Red) methods. The series of dual-responsive Cs-PNIPAM-MBA microgels were synthesized by soapless-emulsion free radical copolymerization in an aqueous medium at 70 °C. The thermal properties were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) under nitrogen atmosphere. The apparent activation energy using the chosen Flynn-Wall-Ozawa and Kissinger methods showed that they fitted each other. Meanwhile, the type of solid state mechanism was determined using the Coats-Redfern method proposed for F1 (pure Cs) and F2 (Cs-PNIPAM-MBA hydrogel series) types, which comprise random nucleation with one nucleus reacting on individual particles, and random nucleation with two nuclei reacting on individual particles, respectively. On average, a higher Ea was attributed to the greater cross-linking density of the Cs hydrogel. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Temperature responsive track membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Omichi, H.; Yoshido, M.; Asano, M.; Tamada, H.

    1994-01-01

    A new track membrane was synthesized by introducing polymeric hydrogel to films. Such a monomer as amino acid group containing acryloyl or methacryloyl was either co-polymerized with diethylene glycol-bis-ally carbonate followed by on beam irradiation and chemical etching, or graft co-polymerized onto a particle track membrane of CR-39. The pore size was controlled in water by changing the water temperature. Some films other than CR-39 were also examined. (author). 11 refs, 7 figs

  7. Hydrogel-based piezoresistive sensor for the detection of ethanol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Erfkamp

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available This article describes a low-cost sensor for the detection of ethanol in alcoholic beverages, which combines alcohol-sensitive hydrogels based on acrylamide and bisacrylamide and piezoresistive sensors. For reproducible measurements, the reversible swelling and deswelling of the hydrogel were shown via microscopy. The response time of the sensor depends on the swelling kinetics of the hydrogel. The selectivity of the hydrogel was tested in different alcohols. In order to understand the influence of monomer and crosslinker content on the swelling degree and on the sensitivity of the hydrogels, gels with variable concentrations of acrylamide and bisacrylamide were synthesized and characterized in different aqueous solutions with alcohol contents. The first measurements of such hydrogel-based piezoresistive ethanol sensors demonstrated a high sensitivity and a short response time over several measuring cycles.

  8. The dynamic magnetoviscoelastic properties of biomineralized (Fe3O4) PVP-CMC hydrogel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ray, Ayan; Saha, Nabanita; Saha, Petr

    2017-05-01

    The Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) based polymer matrix was used as a template for the preparation of magnetic hydrogel. This freshly prepared PVP-CMC hydrogel template was successfully mineralized by in situ synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4) via chemical co-precipitation reaction using liquid diffusion method. The present study emphasizes on the rheological behavior of non-mineralized and mineralized PVP-CMC hydrogels. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) pattern, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-TR), Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and dynamic magneto rheometer were used to study the morphological, physical, chemical and magnetic properties of nanoparticle (Fe3O4) filled PVP-CMC hydrogel respectively in order to monitor how Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles affects the mechanical properties of the hydrogel network. The storage (G') and loss (G") moduli with a complex viscosity of the system was measured using a parallel plate rheometer. Frequency and amplitude sweep with temperature variation was performed to determine the frequency and amplitude dependent magneto viscoelastic moduli for both hydrogel samples. A strong shear thinning effect was observed in both (non-mineralized and mineralized) PVP-CMC hydrogels, which confirm that Fe3O4 filled magnetic hydrogels, are pseudoplastic in nature. This Fe3O4 filled PVP-CMC hydrogel can be considered as stimuli-responsive soft matter that may be used as an actuator in medical devices.

  9. Supermacroporous chemically cross-linked poly(aspartic acid) hydrogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gyarmati, Benjámin; Mészár, E Zsuzsanna; Kiss, Lóránd; Deli, Mária A; László, Krisztina; Szilágyi, András

    2015-08-01

    Chemically cross-linked poly(aspartic acid) (PASP) gels were prepared by a solid-liquid phase separation technique, cryogelation, to achieve a supermacroporous interconnected pore structure. The precursor polymer of PASP, polysuccinimide (PSI) was cross-linked below the freezing point of the solvent and the forming crystals acted as templates for the pores. Dimethyl sulfoxide was chosen as solvent instead of the more commonly used water. Thus larger temperatures could be utilized for the preparation and the drawback of increase in specific volume of water upon freezing could be eliminated. The morphology of the hydrogels was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and interconnectivity of the pores was proven by the small flow resistance of the gels. Compression tests also confirmed the interconnected porous structure and the complete re-swelling and shape recovery of the supermacroporous PASP hydrogels. The prepared hydrogels are of interest for several biomedical applications as scaffolding materials because of their cytocompatibility, controllable morphology and pH-responsive character. Copyright © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Effects of chitosan inhibitor on the electrochemical corrosion behavior of 2205 duplex stainless steel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Se-fei; Wen, Ying; Yi, Pan; Xiao, Kui; Dong, Chao-fang

    2017-11-01

    The effects of chitosan inhibitor on the corrosion behavior of 2205 duplex stainless steel were studied by electrochemical measurements, immersion tests, and stereology microscopy. The influences of immersion time, temperature, and chitosan concentration on the corrosion inhibition performance of chitosan were investigated. The optimum parameters of water-soluble chitosan on the corrosion inhibition performance of 2205 duplex stainless steel were also determined. The water-soluble chitosan showed excellent corrosion inhibition performance on the 2205 duplex stainless steel. Polarization curves demonstrated that chitosan acted as a mixed-type inhibitor. When the stainless steel specimen was immersed in the 0.2 g/L chitosan solution for 4 h, a dense and uniform adsorption film covered the sample surface and the inhibition efficiency (IE) reached its maximum value. Moreover, temperature was found to strongly influence the corrosion inhibition of chitosan; the inhibition efficiency gradually decreased with increasing temperature. The 2205 duplex stainless steel specimen immersed in 0.4 g/L water-soluble chitosan at 30°C displayed the best corrosion inhibition among the investigated specimens. Moreover, chitosan decreased the corrosion rate of the 2205 duplex stainless steel in an FeCl3 solution.

  11. The effect of bacterial cellulose on the shape memory behavior of polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite hydrogel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pirahmadi, Pegah; Kokabi, Mehrdad

    2018-01-01

    Most research on shape memory polymers has been confined to neat polymers in their dry state, while, some hydrogel networks are known for their shape memory properties. Hydrogels have low glass transition temperatures which are below 100°C depend on the content of water. But they are usually weak and brittle, and not suitable for structural applications due to their low mechanical strengths because of these materials have large amount of water (>50%), so they could not remember original shape perfectly. Bacterial cellulose nanofibers with perfect properties such as high water holding capacity, high crystallinity, high tensile strength and good biocompatibility can dismiss all the drawbacks. In the present study, polyvinyl alcohol/bacterial cellulose nanocomposite hydrogel prepared by repetitive freezing-thawing method. The bacterial cellulose was used as reinforcement to improve the mechanical properties and stimuli response. Differential scanning calorimetry was employed to obtain the glass transition temperature. Nanocomposite morphology was characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and mechanical properties were investigated by standard tensile test. Finally, the effect of bacterial cellulose nanofiber on shape memory behavior of polyvinyl alcohol/bacterial cellulose nanocomposite hydrogel was investigated. It is found that switching temperature of this system is the glass transition temperature of the nano domains formed within the system. The results also show increase of shape recovery, and shape recovery speed due to presence of bacterial cellulose.

  12. Chitosan-crosslinked gels prepared by a simultaneously occurring reaction of radiation-induced polymerization and self-bridging of acrylic acid in aqueous solutions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elhag Ali, Amr; Hegazy, Elsayed Ahmed; Hendri, John; Katakai, Ryoichi; Maekawa, Yasunari; Kume, Tamikazu; Yoshida, Masaru

    2001-01-01

    Chitosan is one of the most interesting natural polymers, in addition to its biodegradability it shows wide biological properties such as antifibrolastic and antimicrobial activities, which verify its biomedical application. Novel Acrylic acid/Chitosan hydrogel was prepared by means of γ-irradiation as a clean source for initiation, and crosslinking. The nature of the AAc/CS gel and the effect of the presence of chitosan on the behavior of AAc were characterized. The effect of pH on the degree of swelling of different gels and time course swelling studies show the effect of presence of chitosan and its molecular weight on the swelling of the gels. DSC and TGA were used to study the effect of the presence of chitosan on the thermal behavior of PAAc. It was found that chitosan change thermal behavior of AAc. These results support our assumption for the formation of crosslinking between PAAc and CS chains via polyelectrolyte complex formation, attributed to the high affinity between CS and AAc, accompanied by homopolymerization and self-bridging. This crosslinking increase with CS molecular weight increasing and affect the thermal behavior of PAAc. (author)

  13. Effects of Chitosan Alkali Pretreatment on the Preparation of Electrospun PCL/Chitosan Blend Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatemeh Roozbahani

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Recently, nanofibrous scaffolds have been used in the field of biomedical engineering as wound dressings, tissue engineering scaffolds, and drug delivery applications. The electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds can be used as carriers for several types of drugs, genes, and growth factors. PCL is one of the most commonly applied synthetic polymers for medical use because of its biocompatibility and slow biodegradability. PCL is hydrophobic and has no cell recognition sites on its structure. Electrospinning of chitosan and PCL blend was investigated in formic acid/acetic acid as the solvent with different PCL/chitosan ratios. High viscosity of chitosan solutions makes difficulties in the electrospinning process. Strong hydrogen bonds in a 3D network in acidic condition prevent the movement of polymeric chains exposed to the electrical field. Consequently, the amount of chitosan in PCL/chitosan blend was limited and more challenging when the concentration of PCL increases. The treatment of chitosan in alkali condition under high temperature reduced its molecular weight. Longer treatment time further decreased the molecular weight of chitosan and hence its viscosity. Electrospinning of PCL/chitosan blend was possible at higher chitosan ratio, and SEM images showed a decrease in fiber diameter and narrower distribution with increase in the chitosan ratio.

  14. A sulfuric-lactic acid process for efficient purification of fungal chitosan with intact molecular weight.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naghdi, Mitra; Zamani, Akram; Karimi, Keikhosro

    2014-02-01

    The most recent method of fungal chitosan purification, i.e., two steps of dilute sulfuric acid treatment, pretreatment of cell wall at room temperature for phosphate removal and extraction of chitosan from the phosphate free cell wall at high temperature, significantly reduces the chitosan molecular weight. This study was aimed at improvement of this method. In the pretreatment step, to choose the best conditions, cell wall of Rhizopus oryzae, containing 9% phosphate, 10% glucosamine, and 21% N-acetyl glucosamine, was treated with sulfuric, lactic, acetic, nitric, or hydrochloric acid, at room temperature. Sulfuric acid showed the best performance in phosphate removal (90%) and cell wall recovery (89%). To avoid depolymerisation of chitosan, hot sulfuric acid extraction was replaced with lactic acid treatment at room temperature, and a pure fungal chitosan was obtained (0.12 g/g cell wall). Similar pretreatment and extraction processes were conducted on pure shrimp chitosan and resulted in a chitosan recovery of higher than 87% while the reduction of chitosan viscosity was less than 15%. Therefore, the sulfuric-lactic acid method purified the fungal chitosan without significant molecular weight manipulation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Modeling and process optimization of electrospinning of chitosan-collagen nanofiber by response surface methodology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amiri, Nafise; Moradi, Ali; Abolghasem Sajjadi Tabasi, Sayyed; Movaffagh, Jebrail

    2018-04-01

    Chitosan-collagen composite nanofiber is of a great interest to researchers in biomedical fields. Since the electrospinning is the most popular method for nanofiber production, having a comprehensive knowledge of the electrospinning process is beneficial. Modeling techniques are precious tools for managing variables in the electrospinning process, prior to the more time- consuming and expensive experimental techniques. In this study, a central composite design of response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to develop a statistical model as well as to define the optimum condition for fabrication of chitosan-collagen nanofiber with minimum diameter. The individual and the interaction effects of applied voltage (10–25 kV), flow rate (0.5–1.5 mL h‑1), and needle to collector distance (15–25 cm) on the fiber diameter were investigated. ATR- FTIR and cell study were done to evaluate the optimized nanofibers. According to the RSM, a two-factor interaction (2FI) model was the most suitable model. The high regression coefficient value (R 2 ≥ 0.9666) of the fitted regression model and insignificant lack of fit (P = 0.0715) indicated that the model was highly adequate in predicting chitosan-collagen nanofiber diameter. The optimization process showed that the chitosan-collagen nanofiber diameter of 156.05 nm could be obtained in 9 kV, 0.2 ml h‑1, and 25 cm which was confirmed by experiment (155.92 ± 18.95 nm). The ATR-FTIR and cell study confirmed the structure and biocompatibility of the optimized membrane. The represented model could assist researchers in fabricating chitosan-collagen electrospun scaffolds with a predictable fiber diameter, and optimized chitosan-collagen nanofibrous mat could be a potential candidate for wound healing and tissue engineering.

  16. Directing chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells with a solid-supported chitosan thermogel for cartilage tissue engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Hongjie; Zhang, Xin; Hu, Xiaoqing; Dai, Linghui; Zhu, Jingxian; Man, Zhentao; Ao, Yingfang; Chen, Haifeng; Zhou, Chunyan

    2014-01-01

    Hydrogels are attractive for cartilage tissue engineering because of their high plasticity and similarity with the native cartilage matrix. However, one critical drawback of hydrogels for osteochondral repair is their inadequate mechanical strength. To address this limitation, we constructed a solid-supported thermogel comprising a chitosan hydrogel system and demineralized bone matrix. Scanning electron microscopy, the equilibrium scanning ratio, the biodegradation rate, biomechanical tests, biochemical assays, metabolic activity tests, immunostaining and cartilage-specific gene expression analysis were used to evaluate the solid-supported thermogel. Compared with pure hydrogel or demineralized matrix, the hybrid biomaterial showed superior porosity, equilibrium swelling and degradation rate. The hybrid scaffolds exhibited an increased mechanical strength: 75% and 30% higher compared with pure hydrogels and demineralized matrix, respectively. After three days culture, bone-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) maintained viability above 90% in all three materials; however, the cell retention of the hybrid scaffolds was more efficient and uniform than the other materials. Matrix production and chondrogenic differentiation of BMSCs in the hybrid scaffolds were superior to its precursors, based on glycosaminoglycan quantification and hyaline cartilage marker expression after three weeks in culture. Its easy preparation, favourable biophysical properties and chondrogenic capacity indicated that this solid-supported thermogel could be an attractive biomaterial framework for cartilage tissue engineering. (paper)

  17. Chitosan Coating: A Postharvest Treatment to Delay Oxidative Stress in Loquat Fruits during Cold Storage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giuseppina Adiletta

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Loquat is a non-climacteric fruit consumed fresh for its essential nutrients and phytochemical compounds. In this study, the effects of chitosan coating (1% w/v on changes in the enzymatic antioxidant and membrane damage in three loquat selections (CREAFRC-S18; CREAFRC-S35 and CREAFRC-S36 and three loquat cultivars (Golden Nugget, Algerie and Nespolone rosso di Trabia stored at 7 °C over 21 days were evaluated. Chitosan treatment enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase. Moreover, this treatment inhibited polyphenol oxidase and guaiacol peroxidase activities, extending the storage life of loquat. Chitosan also preserved membrane integrity by inhibiting lipoxygenase activity and malondialdehyde accumulation. Principal component analysis provided a global view of the responses of both loquat selections and cultivars to the postharvest chitosan coating and storage temperature. These findings suggest that chitosan treatment could be a valid tool for improving the activity of antioxidant enzymes, preserving the enzymatic browning of loquat fruits.

  18. Light Responsive Two-Component Supramolecular Hydrogel: A Sensitive Platform for Humidity Sensors

    KAUST Repository

    Samai, Suman

    2016-02-15

    The supramolecular assembly of anionic azobenzene dicarboxylate and cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) formed a stimuli responsive hydrogel with a critical gelation concentration (CGC) of 0.33 wt%. This self-sustainable two-component system was able to repair damage upon light irradiation. Moreover, it was successfully employed in the fabrication of highly sensitive humidity sensors for the first time.

  19. Light Responsive Two-Component Supramolecular Hydrogel: A Sensitive Platform for Humidity Sensors

    KAUST Repository

    Samai, Suman; Sapsanis, Christos; Patil, Sachin; Ezzeddine, Alaa; Moosa, Basem; Omran, Hesham; Emwas, Abdul-Hamid M.; Salama, Khaled N.; Khashab, Niveen M.

    2016-01-01

    The supramolecular assembly of anionic azobenzene dicarboxylate and cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) formed a stimuli responsive hydrogel with a critical gelation concentration (CGC) of 0.33 wt%. This self-sustainable two-component system was able to repair damage upon light irradiation. Moreover, it was successfully employed in the fabrication of highly sensitive humidity sensors for the first time.

  20. Chitosan pretreatment for cotton dyeing with black tea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campos, J.; Díaz-García, P.; Montava, I.; Bonet-Aracil, M.; Bou-Belda, E.

    2017-10-01

    Chitosan is used in a wide range of applications due to its intrinsic properties. Chitosan is a biopolymer obtained from chitin and among their most important aspects highlights its bonding with cotton and its antibacterial properties. In this study two different molecular weight chitosan are used in the dyeing process of cotton with black tea to evaluate its influence. In order to evaluate the effect of the pretreatment with chitosan, DSC and reflection spectrophotometer analysis are performed. The curing temperature is evaluated by the DSC analysis of cotton fabric treated with 15 g/L of chitosan, whilst the enhancement of the dyeing is evaluated by the colorimetric coordinates and the K/S value obtained spectrophotometrically. This study shows the extent of improvement of the pretreatment with chitosan in dyeing with natural products as black tea.

  1. Modified thermoresponsive Poloxamer 407 and chitosan sol-gels as potential sustained-release vaccine delivery systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kojarunchitt, Thunjiradasiree; Baldursdottir, Stefania; Dong, Yao-Da; Boyd, Ben J; Rades, Thomas; Hook, Sarah

    2015-01-01

    Thermoresponsive, particle-loaded, Poloxamer 407 (P407)-Pluronic-R® (25R4) or chitosan-methyl cellulose (MC) formulations were developed as single-dose, sustained release vaccines. The sol-gels, loaded either with a particulate vaccine (cubosomes) or soluble antigen (ovalbumin) and adjuvants (Quil A and monophosphoryl lipid A), were free-flowing liquids at room temperature and formed stable gels at physiological temperatures. Rheological results showed that both systems meet the criteria of being thermoresponsive gels. The P407-25R4 sol-gels did not significantly sustain the release of antigen in vivo while the chitosan-MC sol-gels sustained the release of antigen up to at least 14 days after administration. The chitosan-MC sol-gels stimulated both cellular and humoral responses. The inclusion of cubosomes in the sol-gels did not provide a definitive beneficial effect. Further analysis of the formulations with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) revealed that while cubosomes were stable in chitosan-MC gels they were not stable in P407-25R4 formulations. The reason for the mixed response to cubosome-loaded vehicles requires more investigation, however it appears that the cubosomes did not facilitate synchronous vaccine release and may in fact retard release, reducing efficacy in some cases. From these results, chitosan-MC sol-gels show potential as sustained release vaccine delivery systems, as compared to the P407-25R4 system that had a limited ability to sustain antigen release. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Thermal gelation and tissue adhesion of biomimetic hydrogels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burke, Sean A; Ritter-Jones, Marsha; Lee, Bruce P; Messersmith, Phillip B

    2007-01-01

    Marine and freshwater mussels are notorious foulers of natural and manmade surfaces, secreting specialized protein adhesives for rapid and durable attachment to wet substrates. Given the strong and water-resistant nature of mussel adhesive proteins, significant potential exists for mimicking their adhesive characteristics in bioinspired synthetic polymer materials. An important component of these proteins is L-3,4-dihydroxylphenylalanine (DOPA), an amino acid believed to contribute to mussel glue solidification through oxidation and crosslinking reactions. Synthetic polymers containing DOPA residues have previously been shown to crosslink into hydrogels upon the introduction of oxidizing reagents. Here we introduce a strategy for stimuli responsive gel formation of mussel adhesive protein mimetic polymers. Lipid vesicles with a bilayer melting transition of 37 0 C were designed from a mixture of dipalmitoyl and dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholines and exploited for the release of a sequestered oxidizing reagent upon heating from ambient to physiologic temperature. Colorimetric studies indicated that sodium-periodate-loaded liposomes released their cargo at the phase transition temperature, and when used in conjunction with a DOPA-functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) polymer gave rise to rapid solidification of a crosslinked polymer hydrogel. The tissue adhesive properties of this biomimetic system were determined by in situ thermal gelation of liposome/polymer hydrogel between two porcine dermal tissue surfaces. Bond strength measurements showed that the bond formed by the adhesive hydrogel (mean = 35.1 kPa, SD = 12.5 kPa, n = 11) was several times stronger than a fibrin glue control tested under the same conditions. The results suggest a possible use of this biomimetic strategy for repair of soft tissues

  3. Effects of local application of methylprednisolone delivered by the C/GP-hydrogel on the recovery of facial nerves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chao, Xiuhua; Fan, Zhaomin; Han, Yuechen; Wang, Yan; Li, Jianfeng; Chai, Renjie; Xu, Lei; Wang, Haibo

    2015-01-01

    Local administration of MP delivered by the C/GP-MP-hydrogel can improve the recovery of facial nerve following crush injury. The findings suggested that locally injected MP delivered by C/GP-hydrogel might be a promising treatment for facial nerve damage. In this study, the aim is to assess the effectiveness of locally administrating methylprednisolone(MP) loaded by chitosan-β-glycerophosphate hydrogel (C/GP-hydrogel) on the regeneration of facial nerve crush injury. After the crush of left facial nerves, Wistar rats were randomly divided into four different groups. Then, four different therapies were used to treat the damaged facial nerves. At the 1(st), 2(nd), 3(rd), and 4(th) week after injury, the functional recovery of facial nerves and the morphological changes of facial nerves were assessed. The expression of growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43) protein in the facial nucleus were also evaluated. Locally injected MP delivered by C/GP-hydrogel effectively accelerated the facial functional recovery. In addition, the regenerated facial nerves in the C/GP-MP group were more mature than those in the other groups. The expression of GAP-43 protein was also improved by the MP, especially in the C/GP-MP group.

  4. Influence of polymer network parameters of tragacanth gum-based pH responsive hydrogels on drug delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Baljit; Sharma, Vikrant

    2014-01-30

    The present article deals with design of tragacanth gum-based pH responsive hydrogel drug delivery systems. The characterization of hydrogels has been carried out by SEMs, EDAX, FTIR, (13)C NMR, XRD, TGA/DTA/DTG and swelling studies. The correlation between reaction conditions and structural parameters of polymer networks such as polymer volume fraction in the swollen state (ϕ), Flory-Huggins interaction parameter (χ), molecular weight of the polymer chain between two neighboring cross links (M¯c), crosslink density (ρ) and mesh size (ξ) has been determined. The different kinetic models such as zero order, first order, Higuchi square root law, Korsmeyer-Peppas model and Hixson-Crowell cube root model were applied and it has been observed that release profile of amoxicillin best followed the first order model for the release of drug from the polymer matrix. The swelling of the hydrogels and release of drug from the drug loaded hydrogels occurred through non-Fickian diffusion mechanism in pH 7.4 solution. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Chitosan-graphene oxide films and CO2-dried porous aerogel microspheres: Interfacial interplay and stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frindy, Sana; Primo, Ana; Ennajih, Hamid; El Kacem Qaiss, Abou; Bouhfid, Rachid; Lahcini, Mohamed; Essassi, El Mokhtar; Garcia, Hermenegildo; El Kadib, Abdelkrim

    2017-07-01

    The intimate interplay of chitosan (CS) and graphene oxide (GO) in aqueous acidic solution has been explored to design upon casting, nanostructured "brick-and-mortar" films (CS-GO-f) and by acidic-to-basic pH inversion, porous CO 2 -dried aerogel microspheres (CS-GO-m). Owing to the presence of oxygenated functional groups in GO, good-quality crack-free hybrid films were obtained. Mechanical properties were improved independently of the GO content and it was found that a 20wt% loading affords hybrid film characterized with a Young modulus three times superior to that reached with the same loading of layered clay. The presence of graphene oxide was found to be detrimental for the thermal stability of the polysaccharide at T <350°C, a fact attributed to the well-established decomposition of the oxygenated functional groups of the graphene sheets. Irrespective to the graphene oxide loading, chitosan-graphene oxide mixture preserves the gelation memory of the polysaccharide. Supercritical drying of the resulting soft hydrogels provides macroporous network with surface areas ranging from 226m 2 g -1 to 554m 2 g -1 . XPS and RAMAN analyses evidenced the selective reduction of GO sheets inside of these microspheres, affording the hitherto unknown macroporous chitosan-entangled-reduced graphene oxide (CS-rGO-m) aerogels. Improvement in both hydrothermal stability (under water reflux) and chemical stability (under acidic conditions) have been noticed for chitosan-graphene oxide microspheres with respect to non-modified chitosan and chitosan-clay bio-hybrids, a result rooted in the substantial hydrophobic character imparted by the addition of graphenic material to the polysaccharide skeleton. In essence, this contribution demonstrates that graphene oxide loading do not disturb neither the filmogenicity of chitosan nor its gelation ability and constitutes a promising route for novel chitosan-based functional hybrid materials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

  6. Topographic characterization of the self-assembled nanostructures of chitosan on mica surface by atomic force microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Li; Wu, Jiafeng; Guo, Yan; Gong, Coucong; Song, Yonghai

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Nanocomposites of chitosan film were prepared by simple self-assembly from solvent media. • Chitosan molecules assembled on mica surface of nanoparticles, fibril and membrane with varied chitosan concentration. • Chitosan molecules assembled with different nanostructure under varied pH. • The optimum drying temperature for forming chitosan membrane is about 65 °C. - Abstract: In this work, the self-assembled nanostructures of chitosan on mica surface formed from various solvents were investigated by using atomic force microscopy. The effects of various factors on the self-assembled nanostructures of chitosan on mica surface, including solvents, the concentration of chitosan, the pH of solution and the drying temperature, were explored in detail. Our experimental data resulted in the conclusion that chitosan molecules could self-assemble on mica surface to form various nanostructures such as nanoparticles, fibril and film. Nanoparticles were always formed on mica surface from CCl_4, C_6H_6, CH_2Cl_2 solution, fibril preferred to form on mica surface from CH_3CH_2OH and CH_3OH solution and the optimal solvent to form film was found to be CH_3CN. Low concentration, pH and temperature were helpful for the formation of nanoparticles, medium concentration, pH and temperature resulted in fibril and high concentration, pH and temperature were often beneficial to forming chitosan films. The study of self-assembled nanostructures of chitosan on mica surface would provide new insight into the development of chitosan-based load-bearing materials.

  7. Silk-ionomer and silk-tropoelastin hydrogels as charged three-dimensional culture platforms for the regulation of hMSC response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calabrese, Rossella; Raia, Nicole; Huang, Wenwen; Ghezzi, Chiara E; Simon, Marc; Staii, Cristian; Weiss, Anthony S; Kaplan, David L

    2017-09-01

    The response of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) encapsulated in three-dimensional (3D) charged protein hydrogels was studied. Combining silk fibroin (S) with recombinant human tropoelastin (E) or silk ionomers (I) provided protein composite alloys with tunable physicochemical and biological features for regulating the bioactivity of encapsulated hMSCs. The effects of the biomaterial charges on hMSC viability, proliferation and chondrogenic or osteogenic differentiation were assessed. The silk-tropoelastin or silk-ionomers hydrogels supported hMSC viability, proliferation and differentiation. Gene expression of markers for chondrogenesis and osteogenesis, as well as biochemical and histological analysis, showed that hydrogels with different S/E and S/I ratios had different effects on cell fate. The negatively charged hydrogels upregulated hMSC chondrogenesis or osteogenesis, with or without specific differentiation media, and hydrogels with higher tropoelastin content inhibited the differentiation potential even in the presence of the differentiation media. The results provide insight on charge-tunable features of protein-based biomaterials to control hMSC differentiation in 3D hydrogels, as well as providing a new set of hydrogels for the compatible encapsulation and utility for cell functions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  8. Aging phenomena of chitosan and chitosan-diclofenac sodium system detected by low-frequency dielectric spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bodek, K H; Bak, G W

    1999-09-01

    The use of natural polymers for design of dosage form has received considerable attention recently, especially from the safety point of view. Among these polymers, chitosan shows very interesting biological, chemical and physical properties which makes it possible to use chitosan for various pharmaceutical applications. Microcrystalline chitosan (MCCh) is a special multifunctional polymeric material existing in the form of either of gelatinous water dispersion or a powder. Thermal aging of chitosan and chitosan-diclofenac sodium mixture have been studied using low-frequency dielectric measurements. The aging was carried out by annealing in ambient atmosphere in the temperature range between 25 degrees C and 100 degrees C. The dielectric losses in the aged samples proved to decrease by about one order of magnitude. The additional measurements of molecular weight distribution and infrared absorption were also carried out for better understanding of nature of the ageing phenomena. Partial evacuation of water, cross-linking and improvement of structural order may be suggested to be a result of thermal aging of the investigated materials.

  9. Molecular interactions in gelatin/chitosan composite films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiao, Congde; Ma, Xianguang; Zhang, Jianlong; Yao, Jinshui

    2017-11-15

    Gelatin and chitosan were mixed at different mass ratios in solution forms, and the rheological properties of these film-forming solutions, upon cooling, were studied. The results indicate that the significant interactions between gelatin and chitosan promote the formation of multiple complexes, reflected by an increase in the storage modulus of gelatin solution. Furthermore, these molecular interactions hinder the formation of gelatin networks, consequently decreasing the storage modulus of polymer gels. Both hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions are formed between gelatin and chitosan, as evidenced by the shift of the amide-II bands of polymers. X-ray patterns of composite films indicate that the contents of triple helices decrease with increasing chitosan content. Only one glass transition temperature (T g ) was observed in composite films with different composition ratios, and it decreases gradually with an increase in chitosan proportion, indicating that gelatin and chitosan have good miscibility and form a wide range of blends. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Novel ultrasound-responsive chitosan/perfluorohexane nanodroplets for image-guided smart delivery of an anticancer agent: Curcumin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baghbani, Fatemeh; Chegeni, Mahdieh; Moztarzadeh, Fathollah; Hadian-Ghazvini, Samaneh; Raz, Majid

    2017-05-01

    Ultrasound-responsive nanodroplets are a class of new emerging smart drug delivery systems which provide image-guided nano-therapy of various diseases, especially cancers. Here, we developed multifunctional smart curcumin-loaded chitosan/perfluorohexane nanodroplets for contrast-ultrasound imaging and on-demand drug delivery. The nanodroplets were synthesized via nanoemulsion process. The optimal formulation with the size of 101.2nm and 77.8% curcumin entrapment was chosen for release study and cytotoxicity evaluation. Sonication at the frequency of 1MHz, 2W/cm 2 for 4min triggered the release of 63.5% of curcumin from optimal formulation (Cur-NDs-2). Ultrasound aided release study indicated that the concentration of perfluorohexane and the degree of acoustic droplet vaporization play important role in ultrasound-active drug release. B-mode ultrasound imaging confirmed strong ultrasound contrast of chitosan nanodroplets even at low concentrations via droplet to bubble transition. Finally, cytotoxicity of the ultrasound-responsive nanodroplets in the presence of ultrasound was evaluated in-vitro on 4T1 human breast cancer cells. Cell growth inhibitory effects of curcumin-loaded nanodroplets significantly increased by ultrasound exposure. According to the obtained results, these ultrasound responsive curcumin-loaded chitosan/perfluorohexane nanodroplets have a great potential for imaged-guided cancer therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Rational design and application of responsive α-helical peptide hydrogels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banwell, Eleanor F.; Abelardo, Edgardo S.; Adams, Dave J.; Birchall, Martin A.; Corrigan, Adam; Donald, Athene M.; Kirkland, Mark; Serpell, Louise C.; Butler, Michael F.; Woolfson, Derek N.

    2009-01-01

    Biocompatible hydrogels have a wide variety of potential applications in biotechnology and medicine, such as the controlled delivery and release of cells, cosmetics and drugs; and as supports for cell growth and tissue engineering1. Rational peptide design and engineering are emerging as promising new routes to such functional biomaterials2-4. Here we present the first examples of rationally designed and fully characterized self-assembling hydrogels based on standard linear peptides with purely α-helical structures, which we call hydrogelating self-assembling fibres (hSAFs). These form spanning networks of α-helical fibrils that interact to give self-supporting physical hydrogels of >99% water content. The peptide sequences can be engineered to alter the underlying mechanism of gelation and, consequently, the hydrogel properties. Interestingly, for example, those with hydrogen-bonded networks melt upon heating, whereas those formed via hydrophobic interactions strengthen when warmed. The hSAFs are dual-peptide systems that only gel on mixing, which gives tight control over assembly5. These properties raise possibilities for using the hSAFs as substrates in cell culture. We have tested this in comparison with the widely used Matrigel substrate, and demonstrate that, like Matrigel, hSAFs support both growth and differentiation of rat adrenal pheochromocytoma cells for sustained periods in culture. PMID:19543314

  12. Chitosan/alginate based multilayers to control drug release from ophthalmic lens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Diana; Pinto, Luís F V; Bozukova, Dimitriya; Santos, Luís F; Serro, Ana Paula; Saramago, Benilde

    2016-11-01

    In this study we investigated the possibility of using layer-by-layer deposition, based in natural polymers (chitosan and alginate), to control the release of different ophthalmic drugs from three types of lens materials: a silicone-based hydrogel recently proposed by our group as drug releasing soft contact lens (SCL) material and two commercially available materials: CI26Y for intraocular lens (IOLs) and Definitive 50 for SCLs. The optimised coating, consisting in one double layer of (alginate - CaCl2)/(chitosan+glyoxal) topped with a final alginate-CaCl2 layer to avoid chitosan degradation by tear fluid proteins, proved to have excellent features to control the release of the anti-inflammatory, diclofenac, while keeping or improving the physical properties of the lenses. The coating leads to a controlled release of diclofenac from SCL and IOL materials for, at least, one week. Due to its high hydrophilicity (water contact angle≈0) and biocompatibility, it should avoid the use of further surface treatments to enhance the useŕs comfort. However, the barrier effect of this coating is specific for diclofenac, giving evidence to the need of optimizing the chemical composition of the layers in view of the desired drug. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Sorption of Cu(II) Ions on Chitosan-Zeolite X Composites: Impact of Gelling and Drying Conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Djelad, Amal; Morsli, Amine; Robitzer, Mike; Bengueddach, Abdelkader; di Renzo, Francesco; Quignard, Françoise

    2016-01-19

    Chitosan-zeolite Na-X composite beads with open porosity and different zeolite contents were prepared by an encapsulation method. Preparation conditions had to be optimised in order to stabilize the zeolite network during the polysaccharide gelling process. Composites and pure reference components were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD); scanning electron microscopy (SEM); N₂ adsorption-desorption; and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). Cu(II) sorption was investigated at pH 6. The choice of drying method used for the storage of the adsorbent severely affects the textural properties of the composite and the copper sorption effectiveness. The copper sorption capacity of chitosan hydrogel is about 190 mg·g(-1). More than 70% of this capacity is retained when the polysaccharide is stored as an aerogel after supercrititcal CO₂ drying, but nearly 90% of the capacity is lost after evaporative drying to a xerogel. Textural data and Cu(II) sorption data indicate that the properties of the zeolite-polysaccharide composites are not just the sum of the properties of the individual components. Whereas a chitosan coating impairs the accessibility of the microporosity of the zeolite; the presence of the zeolite improves the stability of the dispersion of chitosan upon supercritical drying and increases the affinity of the composites for Cu(II) cations. Chitosan-zeolite aerogels present Cu(II) sorption properties.

  14. Osteoblastic differentiation of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth induced by thermosensitive hydrogels with strontium phosphate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Su, Wen-Ta, E-mail: f10549@ntut.edu.tw [Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Chou, Wei-Ling [Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Chou, Chih-Ming [Department of Biochemistry, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (China)

    2015-07-01

    Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) are a novel source of multi-potential stem cells for tissue engineering because of their potential to differentiate into multiple cell lineages. Strontium exhibits an important function in bone remodeling because it can simulate bone formation and decrease bone resorption. Hydrogels can mimic the natural cellular environment. The association of hydrogels with cell viability is determined using biological tests, including rheological experiments. In this study, osteogenic differentiation was investigated through SHED encapsulation in hydrogels containing strontium phosphate. Results of 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunofluorescence staining indicated that the cells grew well and SHEDs proliferated in the hydrogels. Strontium-loaded chitosan-based hydrogels induced the biomineralization and high expression of alkaline phosphatase. Moreover, the expression levels of bone-related genes, including type-I collagen, Runx2, osteopontin (OP), and osteonectin (ON), were up-regulated during the osteogenic differentiation of SHEDs. This study demonstrated that strontium can be an effective inducer of osteogenesis for SHEDs. Elucidating the function of bioceramics (such as strontium) is useful in designing and developing strategies for bone tissue engineering. - Highlights: • SHEDs have been considered as alternative sources of adult stem cells in tissue engineering. • Strontium phosphate can enhance the osteogenic differentiation of SHEDs. • Hydrogels can mimic the natural cellular environment. • Bioceramics (such as strontium) is useful in designing and developing strategies for bone tissue engineering.

  15. Effect of combination of chitosan coating and irradiation on physicochemical and functional properties of chicken egg during room-temperature storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Xianxe; Jang, Aera; Kim, Dong Hun; Lee, Bong Duk; Lee, Mooha; Jo, Cheorun

    2009-01-01

    The effect of combination of chitosan coating and irradiation on quality and storage stability of shell egg was investigated. Salmonella typhimurium inoculated on eggshell was not detected by irradiation of 2.0 kGy at day 0 and/or chitosan coating (1%, pH 5.0) after 3 days of storage. One-day-old fresh chicken egg was chitosan coated and irradiated at 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 kGy by gamma ray. The egg samples were stored at room temperature for 14 days and the effects of the combination treatment on internal physicochemical and functional properties were investigated. The Haugh unit of egg was decreased by irradiation even at 0.5 kGy. Irradiation increased the lipid oxidation in egg yolk at 2 kGy but the egg with chitosan coating reduced the level of lipid oxidation. Irradiation increased the foaming ability of egg white and decreased viscosity of egg yolk and white. Results suggested that combination of irradiation and chitosan coating can improve safety of shell egg but irradiation treatment may reduce the egg quality for direct consumption. However, an improved functional property for further processing and efficient separation of egg white and yolk can be expected for egg processing industry using irradiation.

  16. Preparation and properties of GO-PVA composite hydrogel with oriented structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Huanqing; Zhang, Gongzheng; Li, Huanjun

    2017-03-01

    We fabricated GO-PVA composite hydrogels with oriented structure by directional freezing and repeated freeze-thawing, which owned superior mechanical property and thermostability than PVA hydrogel. Due to physical interactions such as hydrogen bonding between surface of GO and PVA chains, GO-PVA composite hydrogel possessed higher crosslinking density and smaller pore size and can resist higher temperature and stronger force from outside than PVA hydrogel. These unique properties will endow GO-PVA hydrogel with greater potential application in biomedical materials.

  17. Development of injectable hydrogels for nucleus pulposus replacement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Jonathan D.

    Intervertebral disc degeneration has been reported as the underlying cause for 75% of cases of lower back pain and is marked by dehydration of the nucleus pulposus within the intervertebral disc. There have been many implant designs to replace the nucleus pulposus. Some researchers have proposed the replacement of the nucleus pulposus with hydrogel materials. The insertion of devices made from these materials further compromises the annulus of the disc. An ideal nucleus replacement could be injected into the disc space and form a solid in vivo. However, injectable replacements using curing elastomers and thermoplastic materials are not ideal because of the potentially harmful exothermic heat evolved from their reactions and the toxicity of the reactants used. We propose a hydrogel system that can be injected as a liquid at 25°C and solidified to yield a hydrogel within the intervertebral disc at 37°C. In aqueous solutions, these polymers have Lower Critical Solution Temperatures (LCST) between 25-37°C, making them unique candidate materials for this application. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) is the most widely studied LCST polymer due to its drastic transition near body temperature. However, by itself, pure PNIPAAm forms a hydrogel that has low water content and can readily undergo plastic deformation. To increase the water content and impart elasticity to PNIPAAm hydrogels, grafted and branched hydrogel systems were created that incorporated the thermogelling PNIPAAm and hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). In this research, the effects of polymer composition and monomer to initiator ratio, which controls polymer MW, on the in vitro swelling properties (mass, chemical, and compressive mechanical stability) of hydrogels formed from aqueous solutions of these polymers were evaluated. Immersion studies were also conducted in solutions to simulate the osmotic environment of the nucleus pulposus. The effects of repeated compression and unloading cycles

  18. A strong adjuvant based on glycol-chitosan-coated lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles potentiates mucosal immune responses against the recombinant Chlamydia trachomatis fusion antigen CTH522

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rose, Fabrice; Erbo Wern, Jeanette; Gavins, Francesca

    2018-01-01

    with the cationic surfactant dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide and the immunopotentiator trehalose-6,6'-dibehenate. Here we show that immunization with these lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPNs) coated with the mucoadhesive polymer chitosan enhances mucosal immune responses. Glycol chitosan (GC......-specific IgG/IgA antibodies, together with CTH522-specific interferon γ-producing Th1 cells. This study demonstrates that mucosal administration of chitosan-coated LPNs represents a promising strategy to modulate the magnitude of mucosal vaccine responses....

  19. Development of Thermosensitive Hydrogels of Chitosan, Sodium and Magnesium Glycerophosphate for Bone Regeneration Applications

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Lišková, Jana; Bačáková, Lucie; Skwarczyńska, A. L.; Musial, O.; Bliznuk, V.; De Schamphelaere, K.; Modrzejewska, Z.; Douglas, T.E.L.

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 6, č. 2 (2015), s. 192-203 ISSN 2079-4983 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) EE2.3.30.0025 Institutional support: RVO:67985823 Keywords : chitosan * magnesium * mineralization Subject RIV: EI - Biotechnology ; Bionics

  20. Functionalized graphene hydrogel-based high-performance supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yuxi; Lin, Zhaoyang; Huang, Xiaoqing; Wang, Yang; Huang, Yu; Duan, Xiangfeng

    2013-10-25

    Functionalized graphene hydrogels are prepared by a one-step low-temperature reduction process and exhibit ultrahigh specific capacitances and excellent cycling stability in the aqueous electrolyte. Flexible solid-state supercapacitors based on functionalized graphene hydrogels are demonstrated with superior capacitive performances and extraordinary mechanical flexibility. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Locally Targeted Delivery of a Micron-Size Radiation Therapy Source Using Temperature-Sensitive Hydrogel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Yusung, E-mail: yusung-kim@uiowa.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa (United States); Seol, Dong Rim [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa (United States); Mohapatra, Sucheta [Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa (United States); Sunderland, John J. [Department of Radiology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa (United States); Schultz, Michael K. [Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa (United States); Department of Radiology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa (United States); Domann, Frederick E. [Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa (United States); Department of Surgery, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa (United States); Lim, Tae-Hong [Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa (United States)

    2014-04-01

    Purpose: To propose a novel radiation therapy (RT) delivery modality: locally targeted delivery of micron-size RT sources by using temperature-sensitive hydrogel (RT-GEL) as an injectable vehicle. Methods and Materials: Hydrogel is a water-like liquid at room temperature but gels at body temperature. Two US Food and Drug Administration-approved polymers were synthesized. Indium-111 (In-111) was used as the radioactive RT-GEL source. The release characteristics of In-111 from polymerized RT-GEL were evaluated. The injectability and efficacy of RT-GEL delivery to human breast tumor were tested using animal models with control datasets of RT-saline injection. As proof-of-concept studies, a total of 6 nude mice were tested by injecting 4 million tumor cells into their upper backs after a week of acclimatization. Three mice were injected with RT-GEL and 3 with RT-saline. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and CT scans were performed on each mouse at 0, 24, and 48 h after injection. The efficacy of RT-GEL was determined by comparison with that of the control datasets by measuring kidney In-111 accumulation (mean nCi/cc), representing the distant diffusion of In-111. Results: RT-GEL was successfully injected into the tumor by using a 30-gauge needle. No difficulties due to polymerization of hydrogel during injection and intratumoral pressure were observed during RT-GEL injection. No back flow occurred for either RT-GEL or RT-saline. The residual tumor activities of In-111 were 49% at 24 h (44% at 48 h, respectively) for RT-GEL and 29% (22%, respectively) for RT-saline. Fused SPECT-CT images of RT-saline showed considerable kidney accumulation of In-111 (2886%, 261%, and 262% of RT-GEL at 0, 24, and 48 h, respectively). Conclusions: RT-GEL was successfully injected and showed much higher residual tumor activity: 170% (200%, respectively), than that of RT-saline at 24 h (48 h, respectively) after injection with a minimal accumulation of In-111 to the

  2. Nanodiamond-based injectable hydrogel for sustained growth factor release: Preparation, characterization and in vitro analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pacelli, Settimio; Acosta, Francisca; Chakravarti, Aparna R; Samanta, Saheli G; Whitlow, Jonathan; Modaresi, Saman; Ahmed, Rafeeq P H; Rajasingh, Johnson; Paul, Arghya

    2017-08-01

    Nanodiamonds (NDs) represent an emerging class of carbon nanomaterials that possess favorable physical and chemical properties to be used as multifunctional carriers for a variety of bioactive molecules. Here we report the synthesis and characterization of a new injectable ND-based nanocomposite hydrogel which facilitates a controlled release of therapeutic molecules for regenerative applications. In particular, we have formulated a thermosensitive hydrogel using gelatin, chitosan and NDs that provides a sustained release of exogenous human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) for wound healing applications. Addition of NDs improved the mechanical properties of the injectable hydrogels without affecting its thermosensitive gelation properties. Biocompatibility of the generated hydrogel was verified by in vitro assessment of apoptotic gene expressions and anti-inflammatory interleukin productions. NDs were complexed with VEGF and the inclusion of this complex in the hydrogel network enabled the sustained release of the angiogenic growth factor. These results suggest for the first time that NDs can be used to formulate a biocompatible, thermosensitive and multifunctional hydrogel platform that can function both as a filling agent to modulate hydrogel properties, as well as a delivery platform for the controlled release of bioactive molecules and growth factors. One of the major drawbacks associated with the use of conventional hydrogels as carriers of growth factors is their inability to control the release kinetics of the loaded molecules. In fact, in most cases, a burst release is inevitable leading to diminished therapeutic effects and unsuccessful therapies. As a potential solution to this issue, we hereby propose a strategy of incorporating ND complexes within an injectable hydrogel matrix. The functional groups on the surface of the NDs can establish interactions with the model growth factor VEGF and promote a prolonged release from the polymer network

  3. Energy conversion in polyelectrolyte hydrogels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olvera de La Cruz, Monica; Erbas, Aykut; Olvera de la Cruz Team

    Energy conversion and storage have been an active field of research in nanotechnology parallel to recent interests towards renewable energy. Polyelectrolyte (PE) hydrogels have attracted considerable attention in this field due to their mechanical flexibility and stimuli-responsive properties. Ideally, when a hydrogel is deformed, applied mechanical work can be converted into electrostatic, elastic and steric-interaction energies. In this talk, we discuss the results of our extensive molecular dynamics simulations of PE hydrogels. We demonstrate that, on deformation, hydrogels adjust their deformed state predominantly by altering electrostatic interactions between their charged groups rather than excluded-volume and bond energies. This is due to the hydrogel's inherent tendency to preserve electro-neutrality in its interior, in combination with correlations imposed by backbone charges. Our findings are valid for a wide range of compression ratios and ionic strengths. The electrostatic-energy alterations that we observe in our MD simulations may induce pH or redox-potential changes inside the hydrogels. The resulting energetic difference can be harvested, for instance, analogously to a Carnot engine, or facilitated for sensor applications. Center for Bio-inspired Energy Science (CBES).

  4. Gradient Material Strategies for Hydrogel Optimization in Tissue Engineering Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-01-01

    Although a number of combinatorial/high-throughput approaches have been developed for biomaterial hydrogel optimization, a gradient sample approach is particularly well suited to identify hydrogel property thresholds that alter cellular behavior in response to interacting with the hydrogel due to reduced variation in material preparation and the ability to screen biological response over a range instead of discrete samples each containing only one condition. This review highlights recent work on cell–hydrogel interactions using a gradient material sample approach. Fabrication strategies for composition, material and mechanical property, and bioactive signaling gradient hydrogels that can be used to examine cell–hydrogel interactions will be discussed. The effects of gradients in hydrogel samples on cellular adhesion, migration, proliferation, and differentiation will then be examined, providing an assessment of the current state of the field and the potential of wider use of the gradient sample approach to accelerate our understanding of matrices on cellular behavior. PMID:29485612

  5. Dynamic Softening or Stiffening a Supramolecular Hydrogel by Ultraviolet or Near-Infrared Light.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Zhao; Hu, Jingjing; Wang, Hui; Huang, Junlin; Yu, Yihua; Zhang, Qiang; Cheng, Yiyun

    2017-07-26

    The development of light-responsive hydrogels that exhibit switchable size and mechanical properties with temporal and spatial resolution is of great importance in many fields. However, it remains challenging to prepare smart hydrogels that dramatically change their properties in response to both ultraviolet (UV) and near-infrared (NIR) lights. Here, we designed a dual-light responsive supramolecular gel by integrating UV light-switchable host-guest recognition, temperature responsiveness, and NIR photothermal ability in the gel. The gel could rapidly self-heal and is capable of both softening and stiffening controlled by UV and NIR lights, respectively. Besides stiffness modulation, the bending direction of the gel can be controlled by UV or NIR light irradiation. The smart gel makes it possible to generate dynamic materials that respond to both UV and NIR lights and represents a useful tool that might be used to modulate cellular microenvironments with spatiotemporal resolution.

  6. Reversible Modulation of DNA-Based Hydrogel Shapes by Internal Stress Interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Yuwei; Kahn, Jason S; Guo, Weiwei; Huang, Fujian; Fadeev, Michael; Harries, Daniel; Willner, Itamar

    2016-12-14

    We present the assembly of asymmetric two-layer hybrid DNA-based hydrogels revealing stimuli-triggered reversibly modulated shape transitions. Asymmetric, linear hydrogels that include layer-selective switchable stimuli-responsive elements that control the hydrogel stiffness are designed. Trigger-induced stress in one of the layers results in the bending of the linear hybrid structure, thereby minimizing the elastic free energy of the systems. The removal of the stress by a counter-trigger restores the original linear bilayer hydrogel. The stiffness of the DNA hydrogel layers is controlled by thermal, pH (i-motif), K + ion/crown ether (G-quadruplexes), chemical (pH-doped polyaniline), or biocatalytic (glucose oxidase/urease) triggers. A theoretical model relating the experimental bending radius of curvatures of the hydrogels with the Young's moduli and geometrical parameters of the hydrogels is provided. Promising applications of shape-regulated stimuli-responsive asymmetric hydrogels include their use as valves, actuators, sensors, and drug delivery devices.

  7. Chitosan hydrogels enriched with polyphenols: Antibacterial activity, cell adhesion and growth and mineralization

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Lišková, Jana; Douglas, T.E.L.; Beranová, J.; Skwarczyńska, A.; Božič, M.; Samal, S. K.; Modrzejewska, Z.; Gorgieva, S.; Kokol, V.; Bačáková, Lucie

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 129, Sep 20 (2015), s. 135-142 ISSN 0144-8617 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0109; GA MŠk(CZ) EE2.3.30.0025 Institutional support: RVO:67985823 Keywords : hydrogel * polyphenol * cytocompatibility Subject RIV: EI - Biotechnology ; Bionics Impact factor: 4.219, year: 2015

  8. Reductively Responsive Hydrogel Nanoparticles with Uniform Size, Shape, and Tunable Composition for Systemic siRNA Delivery in Vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Da; Tian, Shaomin; Baryza, Jeremy; Luft, J Christopher; DeSimone, Joseph M

    2015-10-05

    To achieve the great potential of siRNA based gene therapy, safe and efficient systemic delivery in vivo is essential. Here we report reductively responsive hydrogel nanoparticles with highly uniform size and shape for systemic siRNA delivery in vivo. "Blank" hydrogel nanoparticles with high aspect ratio were prepared using continuous particle fabrication based on PRINT (particle replication in nonwetting templates). Subsequently, siRNA was conjugated to "blank" nanoparticles via a disulfide linker with a high loading ratio of up to 18 wt %, followed by surface modification to enhance transfection. This fabrication process could be easily scaled up to prepare large quantity of hydrogel nanoparticles. By controlling hydrogel composition, surface modification, and siRNA loading ratio, siRNA conjugated nanoparticles were highly tunable to achieve high transfection efficiency in vitro. FVII-siRNA conjugated nanoparticles were further stabilized with surface coating for in vivo siRNA delivery to liver hepatocytes, and successful gene silencing was demonstrated at both mRNA and protein levels.

  9. Self-assembly with orthogonal-imposed stimuli to impart structure and confer magnetic function to electrodeposited hydrogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ying; Liu, Yi; Gao, Tieren; Zhang, Boce; Song, Yingying; Terrell, Jessica L; Barber, Nathan; Bentley, William E; Takeuchi, Ichiro; Payne, Gregory F; Wang, Qin

    2015-05-20

    A magnetic nanocomposite film with the capability of reversibly collecting functionalized magnetic particles was fabricated by simultaneously imposing two orthogonal stimuli (electrical and magnetic). We demonstrate that cathodic codeposition of chitosan and Fe3O4 nanoparticles while simultaneously applying a magnetic field during codeposition can (i) organize structure, (ii) confer magnetic properties, and (iii) yield magnetic films that can perform reversible collection/assembly functions. The magnetic field triggered the self-assembly of Fe3O4 nanoparticles into hierarchical "chains" and "fibers" in the chitosan film. For controlled magnetic properties, the Fe3O4-chitosan film was electrodeposited in the presence of various strength magnetic fields and different deposition times. The magnetic properties of the resulting films should enable broad applications in complex devices. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate the reversible capture and release of green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-conjugated magnetic microparticles by the magnetic chitosan film. Moreover, antibody-functionalized magnetic microparticles were applied to capture cells from a sample, and these cells were collected, analyzed, and released by the magnetic chitosan film, paving the way for applications such as reusable biosensor interfaces (e.g., for pathogen detection). To our knowledge, this is the first report to apply a magnetic field during the electrodeposition of a hydrogel to generate magnetic soft matter. Importantly, the simple, rapid, and reagentless fabrication methodologies demonstrated here are valuable features for creating a magnetic device interface.

  10. Obtaining membranes for alternative treatment hydrogels of cutaneous leishmaniasis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oliveira, Maria Jose Alves de

    2013-01-01

    Polymeric Hydrogels formed by crosslinked polymeric chains were obtained by ionizing radiation process according to Rosiak technique. In the last 40 years the use of hydrogels has been investigated for various applications as curatives. In this work hydrogel membranes were synthesized with poly (N-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP), poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), chitosan and laponita clay for use as a vehicle for controlled glucantime release on the surface of skin tissues injured by leishmaniasis. Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by a protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania transmitted by the bite of phlebotomies sandfly. The traditional treatment of patients infected by these parasites is done with pentavalent antimony in injectable form. However, these antimonates are highly toxic and cause side effects in these patients. In addition, patients with heart and kidney disease can not use this treatment. In treatment with drug delivery hydrogel membrane applied on the surface of leishmaniasis injured tissues the drug is released directly to the wound in a controlled manner, reducing the side effects. Membranes prepared in this study were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), swelling, gel fraction, infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The characterizations of cytotoxicity and drug release were made 'in vitro' and 'in vivo' with functional test according to ethical protocol of the Division of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases at the Hospital of Clinics, Sao Paulo University-School of Medicine, University. The 'in vivo' test of these membranes proved to be effective in controlled release of drugs directly into leishmaniasis damaged tissues. Results of 'in vivo' tests using PVP/PVAl / clay 1,5% and glucantime membrane showed remarkable contribution to wound reduction and cure in clinical therapy. (author)

  11. A novel vehicle for local protein delivery to the inner ear: injectable and biodegradable thermosensitive hydrogel loaded with PLGA nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dai, Juan; Long, Wei; Liang, Zhongping; Wen, Lu; Yang, Fan; Chen, Gang

    2018-01-01

    Delivery of biomacromolecular drugs into the inner ear is challenging, mainly because of their inherent instability as well as physiological and anatomical barriers. Therefore, protein-friendly, hydrogel-based delivery systems following local administration are being developed for inner ear therapy. Herein, biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) containing interferon α-2 b (IFN α-2 b) were loaded in chitosan/glycerophosphate (CS/GP)-based thermosensitive hydrogel for IFN delivery by intratympanic injection. The injectable hydrogel possessed a physiological pH and formed semi-solid gel at 37 °C, with good swelling and deswelling properties. The CS/GP hydrogel could slowly degrade as visualized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The presence of NPs in CS/GP gel largely influenced in vitro drug release. In the guinea pig cochlea, a 1.5- to 3-fold increase in the drug exposure time of NPs-CS/GP was found than those of the solution, NPs and IFN-loaded hydrogel. Most importantly, a prolonged residence time was attained without obvious histological changes in the inner ear. This biodegradable, injectable, and thermosensitive NPs-CS/GP system may allow longer delivery of protein drugs to the inner ear, thus may be a potential novel vehicle for inner ear therapy.

  12. Chemical crosslinking of acrylic acid to form biocompatible pH sensitive hydrogel reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Lim Sze; Ahmad, Ishak; Lazim, Mohd Azwani Shah Mat; Amin, Mohd. Cairul Iqbal Mohd

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to produce a novel pH and temperature sensitive hydrogel, composed of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and cellulose nanocrystal (CNC). CNC was extracted from kenaf fiber through a series of alkali and bleaching treatments followed by acid hydrolysis. The PAA was then subjected to chemical cross-linking using the cross-linking agent (N,N-methylenebisacrylamide) with CNC entrapped in PAA matrix. The mixture was casted onto petri dish to obtain disc shape hydrogel. The effects of reaction conditions such as the ratio of PAA and CNC on the swelling behavior of the hydrogel obtained towards pH and temperature were studied. The obtained hydrogel was further subjected to different tests such swelling test for swelling behaviour at different pH and temperature along with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for morphology analysis. The hydrogel obtained showed excellent pH sensitivity and obtained maximum swelling at pH 7. Besides that, hydrogel obtained showed significant increase in swelling ratio when temperature of swelling medium was increased from 25°C to 37°C. SEM micrograph showed that the pore size of the hydrogel decreases with increase of CNC content proving that the hydrogel structure became more rigid with addition of CNC. The PAA/CNC hydrogel with such excellent sensitivity towards pH and temperature can be developed further as drug carrier

  13. Chemical crosslinking of acrylic acid to form biocompatible pH sensitive hydrogel reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lim, Lim Sze; Ahmad, Ishak; Lazim, Mohd Azwani Shah Mat [Faculty of Science and Technology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM, Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia); Amin, Mohd. Cairul Iqbal Mohd [Faculty of Pharmacy, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

    2014-09-03

    The purpose of this study is to produce a novel pH and temperature sensitive hydrogel, composed of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and cellulose nanocrystal (CNC). CNC was extracted from kenaf fiber through a series of alkali and bleaching treatments followed by acid hydrolysis. The PAA was then subjected to chemical cross-linking using the cross-linking agent (N,N-methylenebisacrylamide) with CNC entrapped in PAA matrix. The mixture was casted onto petri dish to obtain disc shape hydrogel. The effects of reaction conditions such as the ratio of PAA and CNC on the swelling behavior of the hydrogel obtained towards pH and temperature were studied. The obtained hydrogel was further subjected to different tests such swelling test for swelling behaviour at different pH and temperature along with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for morphology analysis. The hydrogel obtained showed excellent pH sensitivity and obtained maximum swelling at pH 7. Besides that, hydrogel obtained showed significant increase in swelling ratio when temperature of swelling medium was increased from 25°C to 37°C. SEM micrograph showed that the pore size of the hydrogel decreases with increase of CNC content proving that the hydrogel structure became more rigid with addition of CNC. The PAA/CNC hydrogel with such excellent sensitivity towards pH and temperature can be developed further as drug carrier.

  14. Microfluidics-assisted generation of stimuli-responsive hydrogels based on alginates incorporated with thermo-responsive and amphiphilic polymers as novel biomaterials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karakasyan, C; Mathos, J; Lack, S; Davy, J; Marquis, M; Renard, D

    2015-11-01

    We used a droplet-based microfluidics technique to produce monodisperse responsive alginate-block-polyetheramine copolymer microgels. The polyetheramine group (PEA), corresponding to a propylene oxide /ethylene oxide ratio (PO/EO) of 29/6 (Jeffamine(®) M2005), was condensed, via the amine link, to alginates with various mannuronic/guluronic acids ratios and using two alginate:jeffamine mass ratios. The size of the grafted-alginate microgels varied from 60 to 80 μm depending on the type of alginate used and the degree of substitution. The droplet-based microfluidics technique offered exquisite control of both the dimension and physical chemical properties of the grafted-alginate microgels. These microgels were therefore comparable to isolated grafted-alginate chains in retaining both their amphiphilic and thermo-sensitive properties. Amphiphilicity was demonstrated at the oil-water interface where grafted-alginate microgels were found to decrease interfacial tension by ∼ 50%. The thermo-sensitivity of microgels was clearly demonstrated and a 10 to 20% reduction in size between was evidenced on increasing the temperature above the lower critical solution temperature (TLCST) of Jeffamine. In addition, the reversibility of thermo-sensitivity was demonstrated by studying the oil-water affinity of microgels with temperature after Congo red labeling. Finally, droplet-based microfluidics was found to be a good and promising tool for generating responsive biobased hydrogels for drug delivery applications and potential new colloidal stabilizers for dispersed systems such as Pickering emulsions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. High-water-content mouldable polyvinyl alcohol-borax hydrogels reinforced by well-dispersed cellulose nanoparticles: dynamic rheological properties and hydrogel formation mechanism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Jingquan; Lei, Tingzhou; Wu, Qinglin

    2014-02-15

    Cellulose nanoparticle (CNP) reinforced polyvinyl alcohol-borax (PB) hydrogels were produced via a facile approach in an aqueous system. The effects of particle size, aspect ratio, crystal structure, and surface charge of CNPs on the rheological properties of the composite hydrogels were investigated. The rheological measurements confirmed the incorporation of well-dispersed CNPs to PB system significantly enhanced the viscoelasticity and stiffness of hydrogels. The obtained free-standing, high elasticity and mouldable hydrogels exhibited self-recovery under continuous step strain and thermo-reversibility under temperature sweep. With the addition of cellulose I nanofibers, a 19-fold increase in the high-frequency plateau of storage modulus was obtained compared with that of the pure PB. CNPs acted as multifunctional crosslinking agents and nanofillers to physically and chemically bridge the 3D network hydrogel. The plausible mechanism for the multi-complexation between CNPs, polyvinyl alcohol and borax was proposed to understand the relationship between the 3D network and hydrogel properties. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Fire-Resistant Hydrogel-Fabric Laminates: A Simple Concept That May Save Lives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Illeperuma, Widusha R K; Rothemund, Philipp; Suo, Zhigang; Vlassak, Joost J

    2016-01-27

    There is a large demand for fabrics that can survive high-temperature fires for an extended period of time, and protect the skin from burn injuries. Even though fire-resistant polymer fabrics are commercially available, many of these fabrics are expensive, decompose rapidly, and/or become very hot when exposed to high temperatures. We have developed a new class of fire-retarding materials by laminating a hydrogel and a fabric. The hydrogel contains around 90% water, which has a large heat capacity and enthalpy of vaporization. When the laminate is exposed to fire, a large amount of energy is absorbed as water heats up and evaporates. The temperature of the hydrogel cannot exceed 100 °C until it is fully dehydrated. The fabric has a low thermal conductivity and maintains the temperature gradient between the hydrogel and the skin. The laminates are fabricated using a recently developed tough hydrogel to ensure integrity of the laminate during processing and use. A thermal model predicts the performance of the laminates and shows that they have excellent heat resistance in good agreement with experiments, making them viable candidates in life saving applications such as fire-resistant blankets or apparel.

  17. Molecular design of light-responsive hydrogels, for in situ generation of fast and reversible valves for microfluidic applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schiphorst, ter J.; Coleman, S.; Stumpel, J.E.; Ben Azouz, A.; Diamond, D.; Schenning, A.P.H.J.

    2015-01-01

    Reversible light-responsive hydrogel valves with response characteristics compatible for microfluidics have been obtained by optimization of molecular design of spiropyran photoswitches and gel composition. Self-protonating gel formulations were exploited, wherein acrylic acid was copolymerized in

  18. Analysis of responsive characteristics of ionic-strength-sensitive hydrogel with consideration of effect of equilibrium constant by a chemo-electro-mechanical model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hua; Lai, Fukun; Luo, Rongmo

    2009-11-17

    A multiphysics model is presented in this paper for analysis of the influence of various equilibrium constants on the smart hydrogel responsive to the ionic strength of environmental solution, and termed the multieffect-coupling ionic-strength stimulus (MECis) model. The model is characterized by a set of partial differential governing equations by consideration of the mass and momentum conservations of the system and coupled chemical, electrical, and mechanical multienergy domains. The Nernst-Planck equations are derived by the mass conservation of the ionic species in both the interstitial fluid of the hydrogel and the surrounding solution. The binding reaction between the fixed charge groups of the hydrogel and the mobile ions in the solution is described by the fixed charge equation, which is based on the Langmuir monolayer theory. As an important effect for the binding reaction, the equilibrium constant is incorporated into the fixed charge equation. The kinetics of the hydrogel swelling/deswelling is illustrated by the mechanical equation, based on the law of momentum conservation for the solid polymeric networks matrix within the hydrogel. The MECis model is examined by comparison of the numerical simulations and experiments from open literature. The analysis of the influence of different equilibrium constants on the responsive characteristics of the ionic-strength-sensitive hydrogel is carried out with detailed discussion.

  19. Design of multimodal degradable hydrogels for controlled therapeutic delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kharkar, Prathamesh Madhav

    Hydrogels are of growing interest for the delivery of therapeutics to specific sites in the body. For localized drug delivery, hydrophilic polymeric precursors often are laden with bioactive moieties and then directly injected to the site of interest for in situ gel formation. The release of physically entrapped cargo is dictated by Fickian diffusion, degradation of the drug carrier, or a combination of both. The goal of this work was to design and characterize degradable hydrogel formulations that are responsive to multiple biologically relevant stimuli for degradation-mediated delivery of cargo molecules such as therapeutic proteins, growth factors, and immunomodulatory agents. We began by demonstrating the use of cleavable click linkages formed by Michael-type addition reactions in conjunction with hydrolytically cleavable functionalities for the degradation of injectable hydrogels by endogenous stimuli for controlled protein release. Specifically, the reaction between maleimides and thiols was utilized for hydrogel formation, where thiol selection dictates the degradability of the resulting linkage under thiol-rich reducing conditions. Relevant microenvironments where degradation would occur in vivo include those rich in glutathione (GSH), a tripeptide that is found at elevated concentrations in carcinoma tissues. Degradation of the hydrogels was monitored with rheometry and volumetric swelling measurements. Arylthiol-based thioether succinimide linkages underwent degradation via click cleavage and thiol exchange reaction in the presence of GSH and via ester hydrolysis, whereas alkylthiol-based thioether succinimide linkages only undergo degradation by only ester hydrolysis. The resulting control over the degradation rate within a reducing microenvironment resulted in 2.5 fold differences in the release profile of the model protein, a fluorescently-labeled bovine serum albumin, from dually degradable hydrogels compared to non-degradable hydrogels, where the

  20. Radiation synthesis of superabsorbent polyethylene oxide/tragacanth hydrogel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khoylou, F.; Naimian, F.

    2009-03-01

    A new superabsorbent hydrogel has been prepared from tragacanth and polyethylene oxide (PEO) by gamma radiation at room temperature. Tragacanth solutions with different concentrations (1%, 3% and 5%) have been blended with 5% aqueous solution of PEO at a ratio of 1:1 and irradiated at doses 5-20 kGy. The properties of the prepared composite hydrogels were evaluated in terms of the gel fraction and the swelling behavior. An unexpected growth of the gel fraction was observed in PEO/tragacanth hydrogels irradiated at 5 kGy. Incorporation of 5% tragacanth into the aqueous PEO increased significantly the swelling percent of the hydrogels to more than 14,000% and thus makes it a superabsorbent material.