• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.45-49
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• 2013

In tissue engineering application, a fibrous structure of scaffolds has been issued as an alternative system to regulate cell survival and tissue regeneration, and electrospinning technique has been popularly used to generate fibrous meshes or sheets mimicking the structure of native extracellular matrix (ECM). However, recent strategy in the scaffold development is expanded to provide the structural property as well as a biological property of native ECM, a variety of surface modification techniques have been used to introduce biological property. In this study, we developed biomimetic poly(L-lactide-co-${\varepsilon}$-caprolactone) (PLCL) nano- and micro-fibrous scaffolds as a unique platform with structural and biological properties with native ECM using electrospinning method and gamma-ray irradiation. Surface morphology of the scaffolds was observed by scanning electron microscopy, and alteration of surface property was evaluated with toluidine blue O staining, water contact angle measurement and ATR-FTIR analysis.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.40-45
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• 2015

Simple poor-cosolvent casting was used to surface treat biodegradable elastic poly(L-lactide-co-${\varepsilon}$-caprolactone) (PLCL; 50:50) copolymer films that presented lotus-leaf-like structures. We evaluated whether the lotus-leaflike-structured PLCL (L-PLCL) films could be used as a biomaterial for artificial vascular grafts. The surface morphology, hydrophobicity, and antithrombotic efficiency of the films were examined while immersed in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a contact angle meter. The recovery and crystallinity of the films were measured using a tensile-strength testing machine and an X-ray diffractometer, respectively. The solvent containing acetic acid, as a poor co-solvent, and methylene chloride mixed in a 1:2 ratio produced an optimal PLCL film with a water contact angle of approximately $124^{\circ}$. Furthermore, the surface of the L-PLCL films immersed in PRP showed a lower rate of platelet adhesion (<10%) than that of the surface of an untreated PLCL film immersed in PRP.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.211-217
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• 2004

The sol to gel transition of aqueous solution of block copolymers consisting of methoxy poly (ethylene glycol) (MPEG) and biodegradable polyesters such as $\varepsilon$-caprolactone and L-lactide was investigated as a function of temperature. MPEG-PCL was prepared by ring opening polymerization of $\varepsilon$-caprolactone in the presence of HClㆍEt$_2$O as monomer activator at room temperature. Also, MPEG-PLLA was prepared by ring opening polymerization of L-lactide in the presence of stannous octoate at 115$^{\circ}C$. The properties of block copolymers were investigated by $^1$H-NMR, IR, and GPC as well as the observation of thermo sensitive phase transition in aqueous solution. As the hydrophobic block length increased, the sol to gel transition temperature increased and curve of that steepen to lower concentration. To confirm the gel formation at body temperature, we observed the formation of gel in the mice body after injection of 20 wt% aqueous solution of each block copolymer. After surging, we investigated the gelation in mice. The results obtained in this study confirmed the feasibility as biomaterials of injectable implantation for controlled release of drug and protein delivery.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.171-180
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• 2015

Vascular tissue engineering has been accessed to mimic the natural composition of the blood vessel containing intima, media, and adventitia layers. We fabricated mechanically expanded PLLA/PLCL nanofibers using electrospinning and UTM. The pore size of the meshes was increased the gelatin immobilized AAc-PLLA/PLCL nanofibers ($203.30{\pm}49.62microns$) than PLLA/PLCL nanofibers ($59.99{\pm}8.66microns$) after mechanical expansion. To increase the cell adhesion and proliferation, we introduced carboxyl group, and gelatin was conjugated on them. The properties of the PLLA/PLCL nanofibers were analyzed with SEM, ATR-FTIR, TBO staining, and water contact angle measurement, general cell responses on the PLLA/PLCL nanofibers such as adhesion, proliferation, and infiltration were also investigated using smooth muscle cell (SMC). During the SMC culture, the initial viability of the cells was significantly increased on the gelatin immobilized AAc-PLLA/PLCL nanofibers, and infiltration of the cells was also enhanced on them. Therefore, gelatin immobilized AAc-PLLA/PLCL nanofibers and mechanically expanded meshes may be a good tool for vascular tissue engineering application.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.373-384
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• 2005

Novel pH-sensitive moieties containing an s-triazine ring were synthesized with sulfonamide and secondary amino groups. The synthesized pH-sensitive moieties were used for the synthesis of a pH-sensitive amphiphilic ABA triblock copolymer. The pH-sensitive triblock copolymer was composed of diblock copolymers, methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-poly ($\varepsilon$-caprolactone-co-D,L-lactide) (MPEG-PCLA), and pH-sensitive moiety. These copolymers could be dissolved molecularly in both acidic and basic aqueous media at room temperature due to secondary amino and sulfonamide groups. The synthesized s-triazine rings containing pH-sensitive compounds were characterized by ${^1}H-NMR,\;{^13}C-NMR$, and LC/MSD spectral data. The synthesized diblock and triblock copolymers were also characterized by ${^1}H-NMR$ and GPC analyses. The critical micelle concentrations at various pH conditions were determined by fluorescence technique using pyrene as a probe. Furthermore, the micellization and demicellization study of the triblock copolymer was done with pH-sensitive groups. The sensitivity towards pH change was further established by acid-base titration.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.467-476
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• 2005

The main objective of this study was to develop and characterize pH-sensitive biodegradable polymeric materials. For pH-sensitivity, we employed three kinds of moieties: 2-amino-3-(lH-imidazol-4-yl)-propionic acid (H), N-[4-( 4,6-dimethyl-pyrimidin-2ylsulfamoyl)-phenyl]succinamic acid (SM), and 2- {3-[ 4-( 4,6-dimethyl-pyrim­idin- 2-ylsulfamoyl)-phenylcarbamoyl]-propionylamino} -3-(3 H - imidazol-4-yl)-propionic acid (SH). The pH -sensitive diblock copolymers were synthesized by ring opening polymerization and coupling reaction from poly(ethylene glycol) (MPEG), $\varepsilon$-caprolactone (CL), D,L-lactide (LA) and pH-sensitive moieties. The pH-sensitive SH molecule was synthesized in a two-step reaction. The first step involved the synthesis of SHM, a methyl ester derivative of SH, by coupling reaction of SM and L-histidine methyl ester dihydrochloride, whereas the second step involved the hydrolysis of the same. The synthesized SM, SHM and SH molecules were characterized by FTIR, $^{1}H$-NMR and $^{13}C$-NMR spectroscopy, whereas diblock copolymers and pH-sensitive diblock copolymer were characterized by $^{1}H$-NMR and GPC analysis. The critical micelle concentrations were determined at various pH conditions by fluorescence technique using pyrene as a probe. The micellization and demicellization studies of pH-sensitive diblock copolymers were also done at different pH conditions. The pH-sensitivity was further established by acid-based titration and DLS analysis.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.263-263
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• 2006

Poly (ethylene glycol)(PEG) - Poly (${\varepsilon}-caprolactone(CL)$) - Poly (D,L lactide(LA) (PCLA-PEG-PCLA) was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization to form temperature sensitive hydrogel triblock copolymer. The triblock copolymer was acrylated by acryloyl chloride. ${\beta}-amino$ ester was used as a pH sensitive moiety, in this study ${\beta}$- amino ester obtained from 1,4-butandiol diacrylate, and 4, 4' trimethylene dipiperidine, it have pKb around 6.6. pH/temperature sensitive penta-block copolymer (PAE-PCL-PEG-PCL-PAE) was synthesized by addition polymerization from acrylated triblock copolymer, 1,4-butandiol diacrylate, and 4, 4' trimethylene dipiperidine. Their physicochemical properties of triblock and penta-block copolymers were characterized by $^1H-NMR$ spectroscopy and gel permeation spectroscopy. Sol-gel phase transition behavior of PAE-PCL-PEG-PCL-PAE block copolymers were investigated by remains stable method. Aqueous media of the penta-block copolymer (at 20 wt%) changed from a sol phase at pH 6.4 and $10^{\circ}C$ to a gel phase at pH 7.4 and $37^{\circ}C$. The sol-gel transition properties of these block copolymers are influenced by the hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance of the copolymers, block length, hydrophobicity, stereo-regularity of the hydrophobic of the block copolymer, and the ionization of the pH function groups in the copolymer depended on the changing of environmental pH, respectively. The degradation and the stabilization at pH 7.4 and $37^{\circ}C$, and the stabilization at pH 6.4 and $10^{\circ}C,\;5^{\circ}C,\;0^{\circ}C$, of the gel were determined. The results of toxicity experiment show that the penta block copolymer can be used for injection drug delivery system. The sol?gel transition of this block copolymer also study by in vitro test ($200{\mu}l$ aqueous solution at 20wt% polymer was injected to mouse). Insulin loading and releasing by in vitro test was investigated, the results showed that insulin can loading easily into polymer matrix and release time is around 14-16days. The PAE-PCL-PEG-PCL-PAE can be used as biomaterial for drug, protein, gene loading and delivery.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.468-474
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• 2005

PLGA and PCL copolymers initiated by carbitol as drug carriers were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of L-lactide (LA), glycolide (GA), and $\varepsilon-caprolactone(\varepsilon-CL)$. Implantable wafers were simply fabricated by direct compression method after physical mixing of copolymers and bovine serum albumin-fluorescein isothiocyanate (BSA-FITC) as a model protein drug. The release amounts of BSA-FITC from wafers were determined by fluorescence intensity using the fluorescence spectrophotometer. Also, the release behavior of BSA-FITC on wafers was controlled by adding the additives such as collagen, small intestinal submucosa (SIS), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), and poly(thylene glycol) (PEG). The wafer prepared by PLGA and PCL exhibited slow release within $10\%$ for 30 days. But, those prepared by a variety of additives exhibited the controlled BSA release patterns with a dependence on the additive contents. furthermore, the wafers containing natural materials such as collagen and SIS showed more zero-order release profile than that with synthetic materials such as PVP and PEG. It was confirmed that the release of BSA from implantable wafers could be easily controlled by adding natural additives.