0603460 - ÚOCHB 2026 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Kolouchová, K. - Thijssen, Q. - Groborz, Ondřej - Van Damme, L. - Humajová, J. - Matouš, P. - Quaak, A. - Duša, M. - Kučka, Jan - Šefc, L. - Hrubý, Martin - Van Vlierberghe, S.
Next-Gen Poly(ε-Caprolactone) Scaffolds: Non-Destructive In Vivo Monitoring and Accelerated Biodegradation.
Advanced Healthcare Materials. Roč. 14, č. 1 (2025), č. článku 2402256. ISSN 2192-2640. E-ISSN 2192-2659
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT(CZ) LM2023053; GA MŠMT(CZ) EH22_008/0004607
Research Infrastructure: Czech-BioImaging III - 90250
Institutional support: RVO:61388963 ; RVO:61389013
Keywords : computed tomography contrast agent * implant * light-based 3D printing * light-based crosslinking * photo-crosslinkable polymers * polyester * thiol-ene step growth polymerization
OECD category: Polymer science (UMCH-V)
Impact factor: 10, year: 2023 ; AIS: 2.015, rok: 2023
Method of publishing: Open access
Result website:
https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202402256DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202402256

Poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) is a biocompatible, biodegradable, and highly mechanically resilient FDA-approved material (for specific biomedical applications, e.g. as drug delivery devices, in sutures, or as an adhesion barrier), rendering it a promising candidate to serve bone tissue engineering. However, in vivo monitoring of PCL-based implants, as well as biodegradable implants in general, and their degradation profiles pose a significant challenge, hindering further development in the tissue engineering field and subsequent clinical adoption. To address this, photo-cross-linkable mechanically resilient PCL networks are developed and functionalized with a radiopaque monomer, 5-acrylamido-2,4,6-triiodoisophthalic acid (AATIPA), to enable non-destructive in vivo monitoring of PCL-based implants. The covalent incorporation of AATIPA into the crosslinked PCL networks does not significantly affect their crosslinking kinetics, mechanical properties, or thermal properties, but it increases their hydrolysis rate and radiopacity. Complex and porous 3D designs of radiopaque PCL networks can be effectively monitored in vivo. This work paves the way toward non-invasive monitoring of in vivo degradation profiles and early detection of potential implant malfunctions.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0360780