Degradable poly(ethylene glycol)-based hydrogels: synthesis, physico-chemical properties and in vitro characterization

Designing degradable hydrogels is complicated by the structural and temporal complexities of the gel and evolving tissue. A major challenge is to create scaffolds with sufficient mechanical properties to restore initial function while simultaneously controlling temporal changes in the gel structure to facilitate tissue formation. Poly(ethylene glycol) was used in this work, to form biodegradable poly(ethylene glycol)-based hydrogels with hydrolyzable poly-l-lactide segments in the backbone. Non-degradable poly(ethylene glycol) was also introduced in the formulation to obtain control of the degradation profile that encompasses cell growth and new tissue formation. The dependence on polymer composition was observed by higher degradation profiles and decreased mechanical properties as the content of degradable segments was increased in the formulation. Based on in vitro tests, no toxicity of extracts or biomaterial in direct contact with human adipose tissue stem cells was observed, and the ultraviolet light treatment did not affect the proliferation capacity of the cells.