Hydrogels And Biodegradable Polymers For Bioapplications

Hydrogels and Biodegradable Polymers for Bioapplications

The theme of the August 1994 symposium was hydrogel biodegradation and bioapplications. Hydrogels are formed by adding a small amount of cross-linked macromolecular material to a large amount of water, which produces an apparent solid. This volume addresses reversible hydrogels, stimuli-sensitive hydrogels. and some in vivo applications of hydrogels. The volume contains 20 chapters and is directed to organic, physical, polymer, and biochemists as well as biologists, materials scientists, and bioengineers. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Natural-Based Polymers for Biomedical Applications

Polymers from natural sources are particularly useful as biomaterials and in regenerative medicine, given their similarity to the extracellular matrix and other polymers in the human body. This important book reviews the wealth of research on both tried and promising new natural-based biomedical polymers, together with their applications as implantable biomaterials, controlled-release carriers or scaffolds for tissue engineering.The first part of the book reviews the sources, processing and properties of natural-based polymers for biomedical applications. Part two describes how the surfaces of polymer-based biomaterials can be modified to improve their functionality. The third part of the book discusses the use of natural-based polymers for biodegradable scaffolds and hydrogels in tissue engineering. Building on this foundation, Part four looks at the particular use of natural-gelling polymers for encapsulation, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The penultimate group of chapters reviews the use of natural-based polymers as delivery systems for drugs, hormones, enzymes and growth factors. The final part of the book summarises research on the key issue of biocompatibility.Natural-based polymers for biomedical applications is a standard reference for biomedical engineers, those studying and researching in this important area, and the medical community. - Examines the sources, processing and properties of natural based polymers for biomedical applications - Explains how the surfaces of polymer based biomaterials can be modified to improve their functionality - Discusses the use of natural based polymers for hydrogels in tissue engineering, and in particular natural gelling polymers for encapsulation and regenerative medicine

Biodegradable polymers for biomedical applications - volume II