Polylactide/dextran graft co-polymers for biomaterial and tissue engineering applications

摘要

A biocompatible, biodegradable, copolymer is prepared from cross-linking a polylactic acid with a polysaccharide such as dextran. The resulting copolymer is a biodegradable hydrogel or solid having both hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties and provides for a mechanism in which biologically active agents may be covalently bonded to the dextran prior to incorporation of the dextran into a copolymer, and the subsequent release of the biologically active agents as the copolymer degrades.