Unprecedented, low cytotoxicity of spongelike calcium phosphate/poly(ethylene imine) hydrogel composites

Macromol Biosci. 2009 Feb 11;9(2):179-86. doi: 10.1002/mabi.200800266.

Abstract

Covalently crosslinked PEI hydrogels are efficient templates for calcium phosphate mineralization in SBF. In contrast to the PEI hydrogels, non-crosslinked PEI does not lead to calcium phosphate nucleation and growth in SBF. The precipitate is a mixture of brushite and hydroxyapatite. The PEI/calcium phosphate composite material exhibits a sponge like morphology and a chemical composition that is interesting for implants. Cytotoxicity tests using Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae show that both the non-mineralized and mineralized hydrogels have a very low cytotoxicity. This suggests that next generation PEI hydrogels, where also the degradation products are non-toxic, could be interesting for biomedical applications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Body Fluids
  • Calcium Phosphates / pharmacology*
  • Cell Death / drug effects
  • Chemical Precipitation
  • Cross-Linking Reagents / pharmacology
  • Dictyostelium / cytology
  • Dictyostelium / drug effects
  • Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / chemistry
  • Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / pharmacology*
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Polyethyleneimine / chemistry
  • Polyethyleneimine / pharmacology*
  • Porifera / chemistry*
  • Porifera / ultrastructure
  • Spectrophotometry, Infrared
  • Thermogravimetry
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • Calcium Phosphates
  • Cross-Linking Reagents
  • Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate
  • Polyethyleneimine