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Robust hydrogel–bioceramics composite and its osteoconductive properties

Polymer Journal volume 52, pages 709–716 (2020)Cite this article

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Abstract

Due to the soft and wet characteristics of hydrogels that acquire high mechanical strength by toughening strategies, tough and robust hydrogels are attractive as next-generation structural biomaterials, especially for the substitution of soft connective tissues such as cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. Firm fixation of the gels to bone in vivo is an indispensable technology in clinical applications. However, since the surface of the hydrogel is very watery, current medical adhesives cannot fix the gels at all. In this review, first, the double network (DN) strategy, a universal method to toughen hydrogels, is presented. Second, by combining hydroxyapatite (HAp) of a main bony inorganic component with a high-strength DN gel, a biocompatible adhesion method accompanied by spontaneous osteogenesis penetration into the gel matrix is introduced. In addition, the HAp-gel composite can be used as a simplified model of bone tissues because of their similarity in terms of components. Third, HAp formation spatially confined by the polymer network of gel is shown as a model of the earliest stage of biomineralization in vivo. These studies on biomineral–hydrogel composites have great potential to contribute not only basic research on osteogenesis mechanisms but also clinical applications of tough hydrogels.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by funds from Creative Research Institution Sousei, Hokkaido University, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S) (No. 124225006), and a Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B) (No. 26820300) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). The author sincerely appreciates Prof. Jian Ping Gong, Prof. Kazunori Yasuda, Prof. Takayuki Kurokawa, Prof. Yasuaki Takagi, Prof. Shinya Tanaka, Dr Nobuto Kitamura, Dr Susumu Wada, Dr Tasuku Nakajima, Dr Kazuya Furusawa, Dr Shingo Semba, Mr Ryuji Kiyama, Mr Kazuki Fukao, Dr Md. Tariful Islam Merdha, Dr Xi Zhang, and Dr Yoshinori Katsuyama for their considerable help and contribution to this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University, North-21 West-11, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 001-0021, Japan

    Takayuki Nonoyama

  2. Global Station for Soft Matter, Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education (GSS GI-CoRE), Hokkaido University, North-21 West-11, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 001-0021, Japan

    Takayuki Nonoyama

  3. Department of High Toughness Hydrogels for Cartilage Application, Center for Innovation and Business Promotion, Hokkaido University, North-21 West-11, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 001-0021, Japan

    Takayuki Nonoyama

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Correspondence to Takayuki Nonoyama.

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Nonoyama, T. Robust hydrogel–bioceramics composite and its osteoconductive properties. Polym J 52, 709–716 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-020-0332-y

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