COMPARISON OF EPOXIDES ON GRAFTING COLLAGEN TO POLYURETHANE AND THEIREFFECTS ON CELLULAR GROWTH

The current study investigated the effects of vary epoxides on linking capacity of collagen to carboxyl-group-enriched polyurethane (PU) and the consequent effects on the growth of endothelial cells. Epoxides o f EX-810, 1,4BDE, DER732, DER331, and DER332 were initially reacted wi th the carboxyl groups of PU substrates at 110 degrees C for 20 h. Fre e epoxy rings of epoxide-PU substrates, characterized by Fourier trans form infrared spectroscopy and quantified by titration with HCl and Na OH, were available for collagen grafting. The amounts of collagen graf ted were in accordance with the amounts of free epoxy rings detected a nd correlated with the growth of endothelial cells on the substrates. Our results indicated that epoxides with shorter aliphatic intermediat e chain can graft more collagen to the epoxide-PU substrates than epox ides crith longer intermediate chain or with aromatic groups. Epoxides were also demonstrated to be nontoxic linking agents for biomaterials . (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.