PDMSstar-PEG Hydrogels Prepared via Solvent-Induced Phase Separation (SIPS) and Their Potential Utility as Tissue Engineering Scaffolds

摘要

Inorganic-organic hydrogels based on methacrylated star polydimethylsiloxane (PDMSstar-MA) and diacrylated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-DA) macromers were prepared via solvent-induced phase separation (SIPS). The macromers were combined in a dichloromethane (DCM) precursor solution and sequentially photopolymerized, dried and hydrated. The chemical and physical properties of the hydrogels were further tailored by varying the number average molecular weight (Mn) of PEG-DA (Mn = 3.4k and 6k g/mol) as well as the weight % (wt%) ratio of PDMSstar-MA (Mn = 7k g/mol) to PEG-DA from 0:100 to 20:80. Compared to analogous hydrogels fabricated from aqueous precursor solutions, SIPS produced hydrogels with a macroporous morphology, a more even distribution of PDMSstar-MA, increased modulus and enhanced degradation rates. The morphology, swelling ratio, mechanical properties, bioactivity, non-specific protein adhesion, controlled introduction of cell-adhesion, and cytocompatibility of the hydrogels were characterized. As a result of their tunable properties, this library of hydrogels is useful to study material-guided cell behavior and ultimate tissue regeneration.