Poly(ether ester amide)s for tissue engineering

Poly(ether ester amide) (PEEA) copolymers based on poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), 1,4-butanediol and dimethyl-7,12-diaza-6,13-dione-1,18-octadecanedioate were evaluated as scaffold materials for tissue engineering. A PEEA copolymer based on PEG with a molecular weight of 300g/mol and 25wt% of soft segments (300 PEEA 25/75) and the parent PEA polymer (0/100) sustain the adhesion and growth of endothelial cells. The in vivo degradation of melt-pressed PEEA and PEA discs subcutaneously implanted in the back of male Wistar rats was followed up to 14 weeks. Depending on the copolymer composition, a decrease in intrinsic viscosity of about 20-30% and mass loss up to 12% were measured. During the degradation process, erosion of the surface was observed by scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. The thermal properties of the polymers during degradation were measured by differential scanning calorimetry. During the first 2 weeks, a broadening of the melting endotherm was observed, as well as an increase in the heat of fusion. Porous matrices of PEEAs and PEA could be prepared by molding mixtures of polymer and salt particles followed by leaching of the salt. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.