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Biomedical subjects

Joachim H Wendorff

Publications and source records attributed to Joachim H Wendorff.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Coating of poly(p-xylylene) by PLA-PEO-PLA triblock copolymers with excellent polymer-polymer adhesion for stent applications.

Poly(p-xylylene) (PPX) was deposited by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on stainless steel substrates. These PPX films were coated by solution casting of poly(lactide)-poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(lactide) triblock copolymers (PLA-PEO-PLA) loaded with 14C-labeled paclitaxel. Adhesion of PLA-PEO-PLA on PPX substrate coatings was measured using the blister test method. Excellent adhesion of the block copolymers on PPX substrates was found. Stress behavior and film integrity of PLA-PEO-PLA was compared to pure PLA on unexpanded and expanded stent bodies and was found to be superior for the block copolymers. The release of paclitaxel from the biodegradable coatings was studied under physiological conditions using the scintillation counter method. Burst release of paclitaxel was observed from PLA-PEO-PLA layers regardless of composition, but an increase in paclitaxel loading was observed with increasing content of PEO.

Adhesiveness↗

Electrospinning approaches toward scaffold engineering--a brief overview.

Tissue engineering involves the in vitro seeding of cells onto scaffolds which assume the role of supporting cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, and differentiation, and which define the three-dimensional shape of the tissue to be engineered. Among the various types of scaffold architectures available, scaffolds based on nanofibers mimicking to a certain extent the structure of the extracellular matrix offer great advantages. Electrospinning is the technique of choice for the preparation of such scaffolds. Investigations have revealed that the nanofibrous structure promotes cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. Parameters relevant for these processes such as fiber diameters, surface topology, porosity, mechanical properties, and the fibrous architecture of the scaffold can be controlled by electrospinning in a broad range.

Biocompatible Materials↗

Biocompatible and biodegradable polymer nanofibers displaying superparamagnetic properties.

Superparamagnetic polymer nanofibers intended for drug delivery and therapy are considered here. Magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles in the diameter range of 5-10 nm were synthesized in aqueous solution. Polymer nanofibers containing magnetite nanoparticles were prepared from commercially available poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate), PHEMA, and poly-L-lactide (PLLA) by the electrospinning technique. Nanofibers with diameters ranging from 50 to 300 nm were obtained. Nanofibers containing up to 35 wt % magnetite nanoparticles displayed superparamagnetism at room temperature. The blocking temperature was about 50 K for an applied field of 500 Oe, and the saturation magnetization was 3.5 emu g(-1) and 1.1 emu g(-1) for Fe3O4/PHEMA and Fe3O4/PLLA nanofibers, respectively, and depended on the amount of Fe3O4 nanoparticles in the nanocomposites. To test such magnetic nano-objects for applications as drug carriers and drug-release systems we incorporated a fluorescent albumin with dog fluorescein isothiocyanate (ADFI).

Biocompatible Materials↗

Liquid crystalline nanowires in porous alumina: geometric confinement versus influence of pore walls.

Aligned liquid crystalline nanowires within ordered porous alumina templates show a pronounced texture on a macroscopic scale. We have investigated the influence of the geometric confinement and the nature of the pore walls on the mesophase formation by means of X-ray diffraction. The apparent texture is the result of a complex interplay of the pore geometry, interfacial phenomena, and the thermal history. Pores with a diameter of a few hundred nm guide the mesophase formation more efficiently than those with a diameter below 100 nm.

Aluminum Oxide↗

Nanotubes by template wetting: a modular assembly system.

The wetting of porous templates with polymer melts and solutions or polymer-containing mixtures is a simple and versatile method for the preparation of tubular structures with diameters ranging from a few tens of nanometers to micrometers. The tube walls can be made of a multitude of materials, some of which have thus far been altogether impossible to use or very limited in their ability to be incorporated into nanostuctures. Template wetting also makes it possible to modify the nanotubes in a variety of ways, for example through the controlled generation of pores or the embedding of nanoparticles into the walls. This method offers a promising approach to functionalized nanotube-template hybrid systems and free-standing nanotubes.

Journal Article↗

Nanotubes à la carte: wetting of porous templates.

Nanotubes have an outstanding potential both for applications in nanotechnology and as the subject of basic research. Wetting of porous templates is a simple technique that overcomes many limitations of established preparation methods. It extends the range of processable materials, for example, by a broad range of multicomponent mixtures or by high-performance polymers such as poly(oxy-1,4-phenyleneoxy-1,4-phenylenecarbonyl-1,4-phenylene) (PEEK) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Inducing controlled phase transitions generates a large specific surface, a specific nanoporosity, or oriented crystalline domains within the nanotube walls. Template wetting provides customized nanotubes and allows us to investigate how the wall curvature affects the structure formation.

Journal Article↗

Design, synthesis, and properties of new biodegradable aromatic/aliphatic liquid crystalline copolyesters.

Liquid crystalline copolyesters of high molecular weight were obtained by polycondensation of aromatic diols, diacyl dichlorides, oligolactides, and poly(ethylene glycol)s. Hydrophilicity of the copolyesters was controlled by the content of ethyleneoxy moieties as verified by contact angle measurements. Copolyesters with ethyleneoxy moieties showed significant enhancement of degradability under physiological conditions in comparison to copolyester without ethyleneoxy moieties, which makes these copolyesters promising materials for bone tissue engineering as also verified by hardness testing and mechanical testing.

Absorbable Implants↗

Hydrolytic and enzymatic degradation of liquid-crystalline aromatic/aliphatic copolyesters.

Aromatic/aliphatic copolyesters containing hydrophilic moieties in the main chain or side chain were synthesized by bulk polycondensation of aromatic monomers without or with solubilizing substituents and aliphatic monomers. Hydrolytic and enzymatic degradation studies were carried out in vitro at 37 degrees C in pH 7.4 phosphate buffer and in Tris-HCl buffer containing proteinase K. The results indicate that liquid-crystalline aromatic/aliphatic copolyesters are degradable hydrolytically as well as enzymatically. The change in composition and morphology of the polyester films were monitored by nuclear magnetic resonance and scanning electron microscopy. The results suggested that aromatic species and aliphatic moieties could be released into aqueous solution during hydrolytic degradation of aromatic/aliphatic copolyesters with ethyleneoxy groups on the side chain. Modifying aromatic species with hydrophilic groups in aromatic/aliphatic copolyesters was an efficient method to improve degradability and biocompatibility due to improved solubility of degradation products in aqueous solution. Mechanical tests indicated that the copolyesters exhibited good mechanical properties prior to degradation, which can be of relevance for bone tissue engineering.

Alkanes↗

Poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofibers by electrospinning as a protein delivery system and the retardation of enzyme release by additional polymer coatings.

Protein-loaded (bovine serum albumin (BSA) or luciferase) poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers were obtained by electrospinning. Poly(p-xylylene) (PPX, also coined as parylene) coated PVA/BSA nanofibers were prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The release of BSA from PVA nanofibers under physiological conditions was monitored by absorption spectroscopy. Burst release of BSA was noted with uncoated PVA nanofibers. In contrast, PPX-coated nanofibers exhibited a significantly retarded release of BSA depending on the coating thickness of PPX (ranging from 40 to 300 nm). Luciferase was used here as model enzyme, which after electrospinning retained its enzyme activity. This preservation of enzyme activity and the continuous release of the intact enzyme from the immersed fibers meets a fundamental prerequisite for the application of enzymes or other sensitive agents released from electrospun nanofibers under physiological conditions.

Animals↗