Injectable Cryogels in Biomedicine

Cryogels are interconnected macroporous materials that are synthesized from a monomer solution at sub-zero temperatures. Cryogels, which are used in various applications in many research areas, are frequently used in biomedicine applications due to their excellent properties, such as biocompatibility, physical resistance and sensitivity. Cryogels can also be prepared in powder, column, bead, sphere, membrane, monolithic, and injectable forms. In this review, various examples of recent developments in biomedical applications of injectable cryogels, which are currently scarce in the literature, made from synthetic and natural polymers are discussed. In the present review, several biomedical applications of injectable cryogels, such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, therapeutic, therapy, cell transplantation, and immunotherapy, are emphasized. Moreover, it aims to provide a different perspective on the studies to be conducted on injectable cryogels, which are newly emerging trend.

Adhesive Sponge Based on Supramolecular Dimer Interactions as Scaffolds for Neural Stem Cells

Improving cell-material interactions of nonadhesive scaffolds is crucial for the success of biomaterials in tissue engineering. Due to their high surface area and open pore structure, sponges are widely reported as absorbent materials for biomedical engineering. The biocompatibility and biodegradability of polysaccharide sponges, coupled with the chemical functionalities of supramolecular dimers, make them promising combinations for the development of adhesive scaffolds. Here, a supramolecular tactic based on (UPy)-modified polysaccharide associated with three-dimensional structure of sponges was developed to reach enhanced cellular adhesion. For this purpose, three approaches were examined individually in order to accomplish this goal. In the first approach, the backbone polysaccharides with noncell adhesive properties were modified via a modular tactic using UPy-dimers. Hereupon, the physical-chemical characterizations of the supramolecular sponges were performed, showing that the presence of supramolecular dimers improved their mechanical properties and induced different architectures. In addition, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements and rheology experiments revealed that the UPy-dimers into agarose backbone are able to reorganize in thinning aggregates. It is also demonstrated that the resulted UPy-agarose (AGA-UPy) motifs in surfaces can promote cell adhesion. Finally, the last approach showed the great potential for use of this novel material in bioadhesive scaffolds indicating that neural stem cells show a spreading bias in soft materials and that cell adhesion was enhanced for all UPy-modified sponges compared to the reference, i.e. unmodified sponges. Therefore, by functionalizing sponge surfaces with UPy-dimers, an adhesive supramolecular scaffold is built which opens the opportunity its use neural tissues regeneration.

Design of polymer-based antimicrobial hydrogels through physico-chemical transition

The antimicrobial activity represents a cornerstone in the development of biomaterials: it is a leading request in many areas, including biology, medicine, environment and industry. Over the years, different polymeric scaffolds are proposed as solutions, based on the encapsulation of metal ions/particles, antibacterial agents or antibiotics. However, the compliance with the biocompatibility criteria and the concentration of the active principles to avoid under- and over-dosing are being debated. In this work, we propose the synthesis of a versatile hydrogel using branched polyacrylic acid (carbomer 974P) and aliphatic polyetherdiamine (elastamine®) through physico-chemical transition, able to show its ability to counteract the bacterial growth and infections thanks to the polymers used, that are not subjected to further chemical modifications. In particular, the antimicrobial activity is clearly demonstrated against Staphyloccoccus aureus and Candida albicans, two well-known opportunistic pathogens. Moreover, we discuss the hydrogel use as drug carrier to design a unique device able to combine the antibacterial/antimicrobial properties to the controlled drug delivery, as a promising tool for a wide range of biomedical applications.

Supermacroporous Composite Cryogels in Biomedical Applications

Supermacroporous gels, called cryogels, are unique scaffolds that can be prepared by polymerization of monomer solution under sub-zero temperatures. They are widely used in many applications and have significant potential biomaterials, especially for biomedical applications due to their inherent interconnected supermacroporous structures and easy formation of composite polymers in comparison to other porous polymer synthesis techniques. This review highlights the fundamentals of supermacroporous cryogels and composite cryogels, and then comprehensively summarizes recent studies in preparation, functionalization, and utilization with mechanical, biological and physicochemical features, according to the biomedical applications. Furthermore, conclusions and outlooks are discussed for the use of these promising and durable supermacroporous composite cryogels.