Novel Biodegradable Elastomeric Scaffold for Tissue Engineering and Light Scattering Fingerprinting Methods for Testing the Same

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a novel biocompatible polymer that may be used in tissue engineering. More specifically, the specification describes methods and compositions for making and using a citric acid copolymers.

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       8 . A substrate for use in tissue engineering comprising a citric acid polymer of  claim 15  formulated into a cell culture substrate. 
   
   
       9 . The substrate of  claim 15 , wherein said substrate further comprises a surface modification. 
   
   
       10 . The substrate of  claim 15 , wherein said polymer is biodegradeable. 
   
   
       11 . A method of producing engineered tissue, comprising:
 a. providing a biodegradable citric acid polymer of any of  claim 15 ; and   b. culturing cells of said tissue on the scaffold of part (a).   
   
   
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       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said cells are selected from the group consisting of endothelial cells, ligament tissue, muscle cells, bone cells, cartilage cells. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said engineered tissue is produced in a bioreactor. 
   
   
       15 . A citric acid polyester comprising a reaction product of monomers A, B, and C,
 wherein A is a linear aliphatic dihydroxy monomer, B is citric acid, and C is a linear aliphatic dihydroxy monomer, and A and C are different linear diols, and the polyester comprises four or more citric acid monomers.   
   
   
       16 . The polyester of  claim 15 , wherein A and C are each a linear diol comprising between about 2 and about 20 carbons. 
   
   
       17 . The polyester of  claim 15 , wherein A is 1,8-octanediol. 
   
   
       18 . The polyester of  claim 17 , when B comprises 1,10-decanediol, tetradeca-2,12-diene- 1,14-diol, a polyethylene oxide, N-methyldiethanolamine, 1,6-hexanediol, 1,12-dodecanediol, or mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       19 . The polyester of  claim 18  further comprising glycerol.