• Vink, Aryan
• Kluin, Jolanda
• Brizard, Aurelie M. A.
• Talacua, Hanna
• Budde, Ricardo P. J.
• Janssen, Henk M.
• Dankers, Patricia Y. W.
• Söntjens, Shm Serge
• Bouten, Cvc Carlijn
• Almen, Geert C. Van
• Herwerden, Lex A. Van
• Thakkar, Shraddha H.

Abstract

<p>For in situ tissue engineering (TE) applications it is important that implant degradation proceeds in concord with neo-tissue formation to avoid graft failure. It will therefore be valuable to have an imaging contrast agent (CA) available that can report on the degrading implant. For this purpose, a biodegradable radiopaque biomaterial is presented, modularly composed of a bisurea chain-extended polycaprolactone (PCL2000-U4U) elastomer and a novel iodinated bisurea-modified CA additive (I-U4U). Supramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions between the components ensure their intimate mixing. Porous implant TE-grafts are prepared by simply electrospinning a solution containing PCL2000-U4U and I-U4U. Rats receive an aortic interposition graft, either composed of only PCL2000-U4U (control) or of PCL2000-U4U and I-U4U (test). The grafts are explanted for analysis at three time points over a 1-month period. Computed tomography imaging of the test group implants prior to explantation shows a decrease in iodide volume and density over time. Explant analysis also indicates scaffold degradation. (Immuno)histochemistry shows comparable cellular contents and a similar neo-tissue formation process for test and control group, demonstrating that the CA does not have apparent adverse effects. A supramolecular approach to create solid radiopaque biomaterials can therefore be used to noninvasively monitor the biodegradation of synthetic implants.</p>

Topics

• porous
• density
• impedance spectroscopy
• tomography
• Hydrogen
• biomaterials
• electrospinning
• elastomer