Lower back pain is often associated with degeneration and loss of the gel-like nucleus pulposus (NP), a component of the intervertebral discs in the backbone. Therefore, replacement of lost NP with a synthetic gel is under consideration for the treatment of disc degeneration. A biocompatible hydrogel as similar to natural human NP is desired. In present study, we synthesized a novel hydrogel composed of chondroitin sulfate (CS), a major component of NP, and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) as crosslinker. Figure 1. <img src='https://acs-archive-assets2.s3.amazonaws.com/240nm/uploads/42773_acsabscdx.jpg' alt='' /> The swelling, deswelling, and compression behaviors of this series of hydrogels was evaluated as a function of the molar ratio of CS to GMA. The optimum synthetic gel was identified by means of comparison of the physical and mechanical properties of members of the series with the published properties of human NP.

Mechanical properties of a synthetic, choindroitin sulfate-based hydrogel similar to those of nucleus pulposus

247th National Meeting (2014)

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