Preparation and Properties of Novel Maleated Poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) Porous Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering

Three-dimensional biodegradable porous scaffolds play an important role in tissue engineering. A new polymer based on maleated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (MPLGA) was synthesized using direct melt copolymerization from maleic anhydride (MAH), D, L-lactide, and glycolide monomers. MPLGA porous biodegradable scaffolds were prepared by a solution-casting/salt-leaching method. The effects of content and size of the NaHCO3 porogen on the compressive strength of the MPLGA scaffolds were investigated, and the effect of content of the porogen on the porosity of the MPLGA scaffolds was also studied. The results indicated that MAH was grafted onto PLGA successfully and MPLGA scaffolds with interconnective and open pore structure were obtained. Increasing content of NaHCO3 porogen resulted in an increase of porosity and decrease of the compressive strength of the MPLGA scaffolds with the compressive strength of the scaffolds also decreasing with increasing porogen size.