Abstract
The present studies describe the fabrication and characterization
of highly porous and interconnected poly(alpha-hydroxy acid) foam
scaffolds produced using a phase separation multisolvent system,
followed by a sublimation process. Fabrication parameters, including
solvent composition, polymer concentration, freezing temperature,
polymer type, and polymer molecular weight, were optimized to produce
the desired foam microstructure. Analyses of selected samples with
scanning electron microscopic images and mercury intrusion porosimetry
indicated polymer foams with pore size ranges of 100-350 microm,
a porosity >90%, and an interconnecting open-pore foam structure.
Scaffold degradation profiles varied according to the type and molecular
weight of the polymers. Cytocompatibility assays demonstrated that
the preferred foam structures were nontoxic and osteoprecursor cells
seeded into the scaffolds exhibited the ability to attach, propagate,
and differentiate into a calcified structure.
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