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Applied Sciences
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New Trends in Bioresorbable Polymers for Biomedical Applications
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New Trends in Bioresorbable Polymers for Biomedical Applications

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Science and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2019) | Viewed by 16751

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Perale

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
1. Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, University of Southern Switzerland - Università della Svizzera italiana, Via G. Buffi 13, CH - 6904 Lugano, Switzerland
2. Industrie Biomediche Insubri SA, Via Cantonale 67, 6805 Mezzovico-Vira, Switzerland
Interests: materials and technologies for biomedical applications; tissue engineering; controlled drug delivery; resorbable materials such as formulated hydrogels and polymeric material; biomedical process engineering; applied physical chemistry; transport phenomena; regeneration of injured spinal cord; bone regeneration technologies; custom made solutions for personalized medicine; vitro models for preclinical studies

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Among the famous technology-oriented statements, Freeman Dyson’s “new directions in science are launched by new tools much more often than by new concepts” best fits the broad field of bioresorbable polymers for biomedical use. It is believed that their clinical use had begun in the late 1960s with the approval of the first bioresorbable sutures. Since that time, an endless number of key biomedical applications have been made using a wide variety of bioresorbable polymers, daily saving and improving lives around the globe: They are a key tool in a wide number of health-related technologies and routinely used medical devices and an essential component of those frontier therapeutic approaches, such as regenerative medicine and controlled drug-delivery systems.

Although some might erroneously claim this field has reached its scientific maturity, there’re enormous margins of growth along multiple new directions in the sparkling arena of this fascinating topic. Hence, the purpose of this Special Issue is to collect the most promising “New Trends in Bioresorbable Polymers for Biomedical Applications”, such as their use for stem cells carriers and local delivery, as scaffolds for tissue engineering, in controlled drug delivery systems, for nano-applications, also without neglecting the role of safety by design paradigm, the importance of computational modelling, and last but not least all regulatory hurdles.

Contributing papers should range from basic science to applied approaches, from major clinical applications to future perspectives.

Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Perale
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biopolymers
  • hydrogels
  • scaffolds
  • regenerative medicine
  • tissue engineering
  • nanomaterials
  • stem cells
  • drug delivery

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 4888 KiB  
Article
Tympanic Membrane Collagen Expression by Dynamically Cultured Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cell/Star-Branched Poly(ε-Caprolactone) Nonwoven Constructs
by Stefania Moscato, Antonella Rocca, Delfo D’Alessandro, Dario Puppi, Vera Gramigna, Mario Milazzo, Cesare Stefanini, Federica Chiellini, Mario Petrini, Stefano Berrettini and Serena Danti
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(9), 3043; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10093043 - 27 Apr 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3579
Abstract
The tympanic membrane (TM) primes the sound transmission mechanism due to special fibrous layers mainly of collagens II, III, and IV as a product of TM fibroblasts, while type I is less represented. In this study, human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) were cultured [...] Read more.
The tympanic membrane (TM) primes the sound transmission mechanism due to special fibrous layers mainly of collagens II, III, and IV as a product of TM fibroblasts, while type I is less represented. In this study, human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) were cultured on star-branched poly(ε-caprolactone) (*PCL)-based nonwovens using a TM bioreactor and proper differentiating factors to induce the expression of the TM collagen types. The cell cultures were carried out for one week under static and dynamic conditions. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to assess collagen expression. A Finite Element Model was applied to calculate the stress distribution on the scaffolds under dynamic culture. Nanohydroxyapatite (HA) was used as a filler to change density and tensile strength of *PCL scaffolds. In dynamically cultured *PCL constructs, fibroblast surface marker was overexpressed, and collagen type II was revealed via IHC. Collagen types I, III and IV were also detected. Von Mises stress maps showed that during the bioreactor motion, the maximum stress in *PCL was double that in HA/*PCL scaffolds. By using a *PCL nonwoven scaffold, with suitable physico-mechanical properties, an oscillatory culture, and proper differentiative factors, hMSCs were committed into fibroblast lineage-producing TM-like collagens. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Bioresorbable Polymers for Biomedical Applications)
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14 pages, 1835 KiB  
Article
A Systematic Experimental and Computational Analysis of Commercially Available Aliphatic Polyesters
by Tommaso Casalini, Monica Bassas-Galia, Hervé Girard, Andrea Castrovinci, Alessandro De Carolis, Stefano Brianza, Manfred Zinn and Giuseppe Perale
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(16), 3397; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9163397 - 18 Aug 2019
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3111
Abstract
Aliphatic polyesters, such as polylactic acid (PLA), polyglycolic acid (PGA), and their copolymer polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) have become an established choice in the biomedical field in a wide range of applications, from nanoparticles for local drug delivery to bone fixation screws, and, hence, [...] Read more.
Aliphatic polyesters, such as polylactic acid (PLA), polyglycolic acid (PGA), and their copolymer polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) have become an established choice in the biomedical field in a wide range of applications, from nanoparticles for local drug delivery to bone fixation screws, and, hence, in a huge spectrum of uses in different medical devices currently available on the market worldwide. The reason for their popularity lies in their combination of interesting peculiarities: in situ degradation, intrinsic biocompatibility (degradation products are recognized and metabolized), processability with standard industrial technologies, and tailorable properties. The knowledge of the degradation rate is an essential requirement for optimal device design when, e.g., fast adsorption time is required, or mechanical properties must be assured over a given time span. In this regard, experimental studies can be time- and money-consuming, due to the time scales (weeks–months) involved in the hydrolysis process. This work aims at providing to both industry and academia robust guidelines for optimal material choice through a systematic experimental and computational analysis of most commonly used PLGA formulations (selected from commercially available products), evaluating the degradation kinetics and its impact on polymer properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Bioresorbable Polymers for Biomedical Applications)
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21 pages, 8111 KiB  
Article
Injectable Vaginal Hydrogels as a Multi-Drug Carrier for Contraception
by Lei Nie, Peng Zou, Jing Dong, Meng Sun, Peng Ding, Yanting Han, Chingching Ji, Qiuju Zhou, Hongyu Yuan and Jinping Suo
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(8), 1638; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9081638 - 19 Apr 2019
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6006
Abstract
Injectable intravaginal hydrogels could deliver drugs systemically without hepatic first pass effect. This paper focuses on the contraceptive function of an injectable temperature-sensitive four-arm star-shaped poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid)-b-methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (4sPLGA-mPEG) block copolymer hydrogels as a carrier of [...] Read more.
Injectable intravaginal hydrogels could deliver drugs systemically without hepatic first pass effect. This paper focuses on the contraceptive function of an injectable temperature-sensitive four-arm star-shaped poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid)-b-methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (4sPLGA-mPEG) block copolymer hydrogels as a carrier of three drugs. In vitro controlled release profiles were investigated via HPLC, and it showed that the cumulative release amounts of indomethacin (IMC), gestodene (GSD), and ethinyl estradiol (EE) from copolymer hydrogels could be regulated by adjusting the lactide/glycolide (LA/GA) mol ratio. In addition, in vitro release profiles of IMC, GSD, and EE well corresponded to Higuchi model. The acute toxicity of copolymer hydrogels loaded with different dosage contents multi-drug was evaluated in vivo. As to the high dosage group, the uterus was hydropic at day 1 and ulcerated at day 5, followed with intestinal adhesion. Regarding the middle dosage group, no festering of tissues was observed and, blood coagulum existed in the uterus at different days. For low dosage group, no significant tissue necrosis was found. Finally, the antifertility experiments confirmed that hydrogels loaded with the multi-drug had an excellent contraceptive effect. The above results indicated that injectable copolymer hydrogel as a multi-drug carrier was promising as a novel contraception method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Bioresorbable Polymers for Biomedical Applications)
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12 pages, 6996 KiB  
Article
Successful Release of Voriconazole and Flavonoids from MAPLE Deposited Bioactive Surfaces
by Irina Negut, Anita Ioana Visan, Camelia Popescu, Rodica Cristescu, Anton Ficai, Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu, Mariana C. Chifiriuc, Ryan D. Boehm, Dina Yamaleyeva, Michael Taylor, Roger J. Narayan and Douglas B. Chrisey
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(4), 786; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9040786 - 22 Feb 2019
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3432
Abstract
We explored the potential of biomimetic thin films fabricated by means of matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) for releasing combinations of active substances represented by flavonoids (quercetin dihydrate and resveratrol) and antifungal compounds (amphotericin B and voriconazole) embedded in a polyvinylpyrrolidone biopolymer; the [...] Read more.
We explored the potential of biomimetic thin films fabricated by means of matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) for releasing combinations of active substances represented by flavonoids (quercetin dihydrate and resveratrol) and antifungal compounds (amphotericin B and voriconazole) embedded in a polyvinylpyrrolidone biopolymer; the antifungal activity of the film components was evaluated using in vitro microbiological assays. Thin films were deposited using a pulsed KrF* excimer laser source which were structurally characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). High-quality thin films with chemical structures similar to dropcast ones were created using an optimum laser fluence of ~80 mJ/cm2. Bioactive substances were included within the polymer thin films using the MAPLE technique. The results of the in vitro microbiology assay, which utilized a modified disk diffusion approach and were performed using two fungal strains (Candida albicans American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) 90028 and Candida parapsilosis American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) 22019), revealed that voriconazole was released in an active form from the polyvinylpyrrolidone matrix. The results of this study show that the MAPLE-deposited bioactive thin films have a promising potential for use in designing combination products and devices, such as drug delivery devices, and medical device surfaces with antifungal activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Bioresorbable Polymers for Biomedical Applications)
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