23 Jul HYDROXYPHENYL CROSS-LINKED MACROMOLECULAR NETWORK AND APPLICATIONS THEREOF
Abstract
A dihydroxyphenyl cross-linked macromolecular network is provided that is useful in artificial tissue and tissue engineering applications, such as artificial or synthetic cartilage. The network is made by first providing a polyamine or polycarboxylate macromolecule (having a plurality of amine or carboxylic acid groups respectively attached along the length of the molecule), reacting this macromolecule with a hydroxyphenyl compound having a free carboxylic acid group in the case of a polyamine or a free primary amin e group in the case of a polycarboxylate, and substituting the hydroxyphenyl compound onto the macromolecule via a carbodiimide-mediated reaction pathway to provide a hydroxyphenyl-substituted macromolecule. This macromolecule is then linked to other such macromolecules via an enzyme catalyzed dimerizatio n reaction between two hydroxyphenyl groups attached respectively to different macromolecules under metabolic conditions of temperature and pH. In a preferred embodiment, the macromolecular network is made up of tyramine- substituted hyaluronan molecules that are linked by dityramine bonds to provide a stable, coherent hydrogel with desired physical properties. A meth od of preparing such a network is also provided.
Year: 2004
Country: CA
Doc No: 2512730