Polymeric Systems for Bioinspired Delivery of Angiogenic Molecules - Advances in Polymer Science - page 191

Polymeric Systems
for Bioinspired Delivery of Angiogenic Molecules

Claudia Fischbach · David J. Mooney ( )

Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University,
Room 325 Pierce Hall, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
[e-mail], [e-mail]

1 I tr cti n ................................... 192

2 F i l gy .................................. 195

3 Bioinspired Polymer Delivery Strategies ................... 197

3.1 BiologicalDesignAttributes .......................... 197

3.1.1 BiomimicryofECMSequesteringCharacteristics .............. 198

3.1.2 ModulationofCellularInteractions ...................... 199

3.1.3 MultipleGrowthFactorSignaling ....................... 201

3.1.4 GeneTransfer .................................. 202

3.2 PhysicochemicalDesignVariables ....................... 202

3.2.1 PolymersforVEGFDelivery .......................... 203

3.2.2 ModulationofGrowthFactorReleaseKinetics ................ 205

3.2.3 MechanicalProperties.............................. 206

4 Applications for VEGF Delivery Systems ................... 208

4.1 TherapeuticAngiogenesis ........................... 209

4.1.1 TherapeuticSignificanceofVEGF ....................... 209

4.1.2 PolymericDeliverySystems .......................... 210

4.2 BoneRegeneration ............................... 211

4.2.1 TherapeuticSignificanceofVEGF ....................... 211

4.2.2 PolymericDeliverySystems .......................... 212

4.3 NerveRegeneration............................... 213

4.3.1 TherapeuticSignificanceofVEGF ....................... 213

4.3.2 PolymericDeliverySystems .......................... 214

5 Summary and Future Directions ........................ 215

References ....................................... 216

Abstract Growth factors are increasingly utilized to promote regeneration of lost or com-
promised tissues and organs. However, current strategies applying growth factors by
bolus injections typically fail to restore tissue functions. Delivery from polymeric systems
may overcome this limitation by supplying growth factors in a well-controlled, localized,
and sustained manner to the defect site. Traditional polymeric delivery vehicles have been
developed based on physicochemical design variables; however, it has now become clear
that the appropriate mimicry of certain biologic signaling events may be necessary to
achieve full function from the delivered growth factors. Because of its central impor-
tance in the development and regeneration of various tissues (e.g., blood vessels, bone,