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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #151308
Title: PECTIN/POLY(LACTIDE-CO-GLYCOLIDE) COMPOSITE MATRICES FOR BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS

Author
item Liu, Linshu
item WON, YOUNG - UNIV. OF MICHIGAN
item Cooke, Peter
item Coffin, David
item Fishman, Marshall
item Hicks, Kevin
item MA, PETER - UNIV. OF MICHIGAN

Submitted to: Biomaterials
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/29/2003
Publication Date: 9/29/2003
Citation: Liu, L.S., Won, Y.J., Cooke, P.H., Coffin, D.R., Fishman, M.L., Hicks, K.B., Ma, P.X. 2004. Pectin/poly(lactide-co-glycolide) composite matrices for biomedical applications. Biomaterials. 25:3201-3210.

Interpretive Summary: The need to add value to agricultural wastes has prompted us to create novel biomedical devices from pectins, which are extracted from the by-products of fruit and vegetable processing, and poly(lactic acid), which is available from fermentation of other agricultural polysaccharides. The pectin derived devices are three-dimensional porous structures, biocompatible and biodegradable, ready to carry various bioactive substances and/or to deliver them at implanted tissue sites. The pectin devices are applicable for use in drug delivery, gene therapy, and tissue repair. The method to prepare the devices is ecologically safe, simple, and cost-effective. The possibility of using pectin for medical and surgical purposes increases the market potential for fruit growers and processor.

Technical Abstract: The aim of the research was to develop matrices for the delivery of biologically active substances for tissue regeneration. To this end, a new biodegradable matrix composed of a hydrophobic porous poly(lactide-co-glycolide), p(LGA), network entangled with another network of hydrophilic pectin was fabricated in the presence of calcium chloride. The calcium salts function as both a pore forming reagent and cross-linker for the formation of pectin networks; the method combines creating pores and cross-linking polymers in one step. Microscopic imaging and dynamic mechanical analysis revealed a double-network structure of the composite matrices. The pectin enables the composite to carry signal molecules. This is accomplished by linking signal molecules to pectin by physical absorption or by chemical reaction. The p(LGA) networks in the composite impart mechanical properties comparable to p(LGA) alone. The mechanical properties of the composite are far superior to matrices containing only pectin. Furthermore, the pectin-containing matrices improved cell adhesion and proliferation when compared to plain p(LGA) matrices, as determined in vitro by osteoblast culture.