HYBRID HYDROGEL SCAFFOLD COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS OF USE

摘要

The present invention includes new hybrid hydrogel scaffolds comprised of a polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene (block) copolymer (a "poloxamer") and a self- assembling peptide, which maintain the mechanical and bioactive properties of its individual constituents (as compared to when the individual constituents are scaffolds or hydrogels by themselves). For example, a hybrid hydrogel can be designed to maintain the mechanical strength from the poloxamer component and favorable cellular functionality (viability, proliferation, migration, and differentiation) from its self-assembling peptide component. In addition to hybrid hydrogels, the invention also includes hydrogels that do not include a self- assembling peptide and are made from one or more poloxamers and one or more elements that contribute in some form to the structure and/or function of the hydrogel. The hydrogels of the invention can include a combination of materials from different origins or with different properties that provides a hybrid material that meets the multiple needs of a scaffold for tissue engineering.