Poly(amidoamine) Hydrogels as Scaffolds for Cell Culturing and Conduits for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration

Biodegradable and biocompatible poly(amidoamine) (PAA)-based hydrogels have been considered for different tissue engineering applications. First generation AGMA1 hydrogels, amphoteric but prevailing cationic hydrogels containing carboxylic and guanidine groups as side substituents, show satisfactory results in terms of adhesion and proliferation properties towards different cell lines. Unfortunately, these hydrogels are very swellable materials, breakable on handling, and have been found inadequate for other applications. To overcome this problem, second generation AGMA1 hydrogels have been prepared adopting a new synthetic method. These new hydrogels exhibit good biological properties in vitro with satisfactory mechanical characteristics. They are obtained in different forms and shapes, and successfully tested in vivo for the regeneration of peripheral nerves. This review reports on our recent efforts in the use of first and second generation PAA hydrogels as substrates for cell culturing and tubular scaffold for peripheral nerve regeneration.