Photoinitiated polymerization of biomaterials

Photoinitiated polymerization and polymer crosslinking are viable strategie s for biomaterial synthesis because of the mild temperatures and neutral pH environments in which these reactions typically take place. This review su mmarizes the relevant theories as well as current status of photoinitiated polymerizations in biomaterials. Photoinitiation, photoinitiated polymeriza tion, and photoinitiators are discussed with consideration toward the biolo gical nature of the intended application. Recent investigations into biomat erials, including hydrogels, biodegradable materials, and hard tissue resor bable scaffolds are presented. Lastly, studies of cell interactions with ph otoinitiated biomaterials are discussed. The work herein illustrates the po tential use of photoinitiated polymerization in the development of novel bi omaterials for tissue engineering.