• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.37 no.7
• /
• pp.669-674
• /
• 2013

A three-dimensional hydrogel scaffold has been proposed for the effective production of biomimetic intestinal villi to reduce ethical and cost problems caused by animal testing in pharmaceutical development. This study explores an experimental approach to develop a new technique based on laser machining and microdrilling processes to produce a plastic mold for the fabrication of a three-dimensional hydrogel scaffold. For process optimization, both the laser machining and the microdrilling experiments are conducted by varying the experimental conditions, and structural characterization of the mold and intestinal villi were performed using SEM (scanning electron microscope) and OM (optical microscope) images. Polycarbonate (PC) was used as a candidate material. The experimental results show that intestinal villi can be fabricated by both laser and microdrilling machining processes.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
• /
• v.35 no.5
• /
• pp.369-373
• /
• 2005

The objectives of the current work is to understand the factors impacting the formulation and performance of a Carbopol mucoadhesive buccal delvery system for a model peptide drug, $[D-Ala{^2},\;D-Leu{^5}]$enkephalin (DADLE, Mw=569.7) with comparable chemical and enzymatic stability. Specifically, in vitro buccal DADLE delivery from the cross-linked poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) hydrogel system was characterized. In addition, the influences of several penetration enhancers on the ex vivo buccal absorption of DADLE were also studied. In this study, the PAA hydrogels generally swell to 100% of their original weight in the phosphate pH 7.4 buffer. The water penetration into the PAA hydrogel occurred based on a zero-order kinetics for the first 60 min and steadily decreased afterwards. From the release study, it can be seen that the initial DADLE release was so rapid and the rate of release of DADLE decreased as the time elapsed. The porcine buccal tissue was found to be permeable to DADLE with a flux value of $0.07%/cm{^2}/hr({\pm}0.01\;SD)$. From the ex vivo diffusion study, it was found that sodium taurodihydrofusidate showed a greater degree of enhancement compared to the phospholipids with an Enhancement Ratio (ER) of 8.7 compared to 2.7 and 1.9 for didecanoylphosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylcholine, respectively. The work encompassed within this paper has demonstrated the feasibility of using the PAA hydrogel delivery system with its good mucoadhesive properties for the buccal delivery of peptides.

• Polymer(Korea)
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2009

We report the template-based synthesis of well-dispersed CdS nanoparticles (NPs) in the interior of poly (2-acetamidoacrylic acid) (PAAA) hydrogel as a novel type of nanocomposite without particle aggregation via ion exchange in a aqueous system. As revealed by the TEM image analysis, the mean crystallite diameter of CdS NPs embedded in hydrogel composite was 4.5 nm, and the composite did not suffer any observable change after 6 months. Desorption/decomposition of CdS/PAAA hydrogel composite was studied by evolved gas analysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (EGA-GC-MS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) methods. From the TGA data, the thermal stability of the composite system increased by ca. 100 $^\circ$C and the content of CdS NPs in a dry composite gel was over 70 wt%. In addition, the chemical pathway was proposed for the entire decomposition process.

• Biomaterials and Biomechanics in Bioengineering
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.1-12
• /
• 2014

Polymer multilayered hydrogels were prepared on a titanium alloy (Ti) substrate using a layer-by-layer (LBL) process to load a cell growth factor. Two water-soluble polymers were used to fabricate the multilayered hydrogels, a phospholipid polymer with both N, N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) units and 4-vinylphenylboronic acid (VPBA) units [poly(MPC-co-DMAEMA-co-VPBA) (PMDV)], and the polysaccharide alginate (ALG). PMDV interacted with ALG through a selective reaction between the VPBA units in PMDV and the hydroxyl groups in ALG and through electrostatic interactions between the DMAEMA units in PMDA and the anionic carboxyl groups in ALG. First, the Ti substrate was covered with photoreactive poly vinyl alcohol, and then the Ti alloy was alternately immersed in the respective polymer solutions to form the PMDV/ALG multilayered hydrogels. In this multilayered hydrogel, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was introduced in different layers during the LbL process under mild conditions. Release of VEGF from the multilayered hydrogels was dependent on the location; however, release continued for 2 weeks. Endothelial cells adhered to the hydrogel and proliferated, and these corresponded to the VEGF release profile from the hydrogel. We concluded that multilayered hydrogels composed of PMDV and ALG could be loaded with cell growth factors that have high activity and can control cell functions. Therefore, this system provides a cell function controllable substrate based on the controlled release of biologically active proteins.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2006.10a
• /
• pp.264-264
• /
• 2006

The nanoparticle-hydrogel complex as a new bone defect replacement matrix, which is composed of the nanoparticles for the sustained release of BMP and the hydrogel for filling the bone defect site and playing a role as a matrix where new bone can grow, is presented. In vivo evaluation of bone formation was characterized by soft X-ray, MT staining, and calcium assay, based on the rat calvarial critical size defect model. The effective bone regeneration was achieved by the BMP-2 loaded nanoparticles in fibrin gel, compare to bare fibrin gel, the nanoparticle-fibrin gel complex without BMP-2, or the BMP-2 in fibrin gel, in terms of the new bone area and the gray level in X-ray, the bone marrow are, and the calcium content in the initial defect site. These findings suggest that the BMP-2 loaded nanoparticle-fibrin gel complex can a promising candidate for a new bone defect replacement matrix.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.79-83
• /
• 2013

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been known to affect to cell migration, proliferation, morphogenesis and apoptosis by degrading the extracellular matrix. In the previous studies, undifferentiated mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) were successfully proliferated inside the extracellular matrix (ECM) analog-conjugated three-dimensional (3D) poly ethylene glycol (PEG)-based hydrogel. However, there is no report about MMP secretion in ESCs, which makes it difficult to understand and explain how ESCs enlarge space and proliferate inside 3D PEG-based hydrogel constructed by crosslinkers containing MMP-specific cleavage peptide sequence. Therefore, we investigated what types of MMPs are released from undifferentiated ESCs and how extracellular signals derived from various niche conditions affect MMP expression of ESCs at the transcriptional level. Results showed that undifferentiated ESCs expressed specifically MMP2 and MMP3 mRNAs. Transcriptional up-regulation of MMP2 was caused by the 3D scaffold, and activation of integrin inside the 3D scaffold upregulated MMP2 mRNAs synergistically. Moreover, mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) on 2D matrix and 3D scaffold induced upregulation of MMP3 mRNAs, and activation of integrins through conjugation of extracellular matrix (ECM) analogs with 3D scaffold upregulated MMP3 mRNAs synergistically. These results suggest that successful proliferation of ESCs inside the 3D PEG-based hydrogel may be caused by increase of MMP2 and MMP3 expression resulting from 3D scaffold itself as well as activation of integrins inside the 3D PEG-based scaffold.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.49 no.2
• /
• pp.39-47
• /
• 2006

Incorporation of bioactive compounds such as vitamins, probiotics, bioactive peptides, and antioxidants into Nutrient Delivery System (NDS) for 'nanofood' provides simple way to develop novel functional foods that may have physiological benefits or reduce risks of diseases. As vital nutrient in nanofood, proteins possess unique functional properties including ability to form gels and emulsions, which allow them to be ideal nanofood materials for encapsulation of bioactive compounds. Based on protein physico-chemical properties, this review describes potential role of nanofood materials for development of NDS in hydrogel form, micro-or nano-particles. Applications of these nanofood materials to protect delivery-sensitive nutraceutical compounds are illustrated, and impacts of particle size on release properties are emphasized.

• Polymer Science and Technology
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.533-538
• /
• 2011

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.6-12
• /
• 1998

A FET(Field Effect Transistor) type dissolved $CO_2$ sensor based on Severinghaus type $CO_2$ sensor was fabricated by the photolithographic process. The sensor consists of Ag/AgCl reference electrode and membranes (hydrogel membrane and $CO_2$ gas permeable membrane) on the pH-ISFET base chip. Ag/AgCl reference electrode was fabricated as follows. Ag layer was thermally evaporated and then its upper surface was chemically chloridized into the AgCl. The hydrogel used as an internal electrolyte solution was fabricated by a photolithographic method using 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate(HEMA) and acrylamide. $CO_2$ permeable membrane on the top of the hydrogel layer was formed by photolithographic process with UV-oligomer. The FET type $pCO_2$ sensor fabricated by photolithographic method showed good linearity within the concentration range of $10^{-3}{\sim}10^0mole/{\ell}$ of dissolved $CO_2$ in aqueous solution with high sensitivity.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.29 no.8
• /
• pp.1630-1632
• /
• 2008