Wide-Ranging Multitool Study of Structure and Porosity of PLGA Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering.

Alexey Buzmakov,Andrey Dunaev,Andrew Bodey,Larisa Krotova,Vladimir Volkov,Vladimir Popov,Irina Dyachkova,Victor Asadchikov,Yuriy Krivonosov,Denis Zolotov

doi:10.3390/polym13071021

Abstract

In this study, the nanoscale transformation of the polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) internal structure, before and after its supercritical carbon dioxide (sc-CO2) swelling and plasticization, followed by foaming after a CO2 pressure drop, was studied by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) for the first time. A comparative analysis of the internal structure data and porosity measurements for PLGA scaffolds, produced by sc-CO2 processing, on a scale ranging from 0.02 to 1000 μm, was performed by SAXS, helium pycnometry (HP), mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and both “lab-source” and synchrotron X-ray microtomography (micro-CT). This approach opens up possibilities for the wide-scale evaluation, computer modeling, and prediction of the physical and mechanical properties of PLGA scaffolds, as well as their biodegradation behavior in the body. Hence, this study targets optimizing the process parameters of PLGA scaffold fabrication for specific biomedical applications.

Highlights

Nowadays, biocompatible polymer materials, as well as polymer-based structures, play a pivotal role in the intensive research and extensive development of advanced biomedical devices and pharmaceutical formulations [1,2]
Swelling, plasticization, and foaming are presented in plasticization, and foaming are presented in Figures 1 and 2, respectively
Plasticization, and foaming are presented in Figures 1 and 2, respectively

Summary

Introduction

Biocompatible polymer materials, as well as polymer-based structures, play a pivotal role in the intensive research and extensive development of advanced biomedical devices and pharmaceutical formulations [1,2]. Biodegradable polymers, e.g., aliphatic polyesters, such as polylactic acid (PLA), polyglycolic acid (PGA) and their copolymer polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA), which can “dissolve” at specific rates in the human body, are of particular interest for modern biomedical products (suture threads, stents, custom-designed implants, scaffolds for tissue engineering, etc.) [3,4,5] and controlled drug release carrier [6,7] fabrication. 50 MPa) and favorable ultimate elongation at breakage (from 3% up to 200%, depending on chemical structure and molecular weight distribution) properties, enabling their broad application in the fabrication of products that are designed for use under constant tensile stress and high elongation conditions [9,10]. PLA and PLGA display significant tensile stress (ca. 50 MPa) and favorable ultimate elongation at breakage (from 3% up to 200%, depending on chemical structure and molecular weight distribution) properties, enabling their broad application in the fabrication of products that are designed for use under constant tensile stress and high elongation conditions [9,10].

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Results

Conclusion