Bioresorbable Polymers for Tissue Engineering

Abstract

Polymeric biomaterials are used as substitutes for damaged tissue and for the stimulation of tissue regeneration. One class of polymeric biomaterials are bioresorbable polymers that degrade both in vitro and in vivo and are used as a temporary support for tissue regeneration. Among the various types of bioresorbable polymers, -hydroxy acids including the different forms of poly(lactic acid) (PLA), such as poly(L-lactic acid), poly(Dlactic acid) and poly(DL-lactic acid), as well as poly(glycolic acid) and polycaprolactone, have been extensively studied. These polymers are well known for their good biocompatibility, with their degradation products being eliminated from the body by metabolic pathways. Many reports have shown that the different PLA-based substrates do not present toxicity since the cells were found to differentiate over the different polymers, as demonstrated by the production of extracellular matrix components by various cell types. In this chapter, we describe the use of -hydroxy acids, highlighting the different forms of PLA scaffolds used as cell culture substrates and their applications in clinical practice. The chapter is divided into (1) Introduction; (2) Bioresorbable devices as cell culture substrates; (3) Cell adhesion to polymer substrates; (4) Tissue engineering and bioresorbable polymers; (5) Cell growth and proliferation on bioresorbable polymers; (6) Bioresorbable polymers for cartilage engineering; (7) Bioresorbable polymers for bone tissue engineering; (8) Bioresorbable polymers for skin tissue engineering, and (9) Conclusion.