Engineering porous polyurethane scaffolds by photografting polymerization of methacrylic acid for improved endothelial cell compatibility.

Using a preadsorbing-monomer method, polyurethane (PU) porous scaffolds were modified by grafting polymerization of methacrylic acid (MAA) initiated under UV light. Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflection spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterizations confirmed the occurrence of the grafting polymerization of poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) on PU scaffolds and the measurement of water adsorption also demonstrated enhanced hydrophilicity. The PMAA grafting degree correlated to the amount of MAA adsorbed, the pore average diameter, and the porosity. It was verified that the higher porosity the scaffold has, the larger porous area (or the larger contact area with MAA) it has, and therefore the higher amount of MAA adsorbed and higher grafting degree obtained. The results of human endothelial cells cultured in vitro showed that the PU scaffolds modified with the hydrophilic PMAA had more improved cell compatibility than the control matrix. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 67A: 1367-1373, 2003