Effects of Hydrolytic Degradation on In Vitro Biocompatibility of Poly (d,l-lactic acid)

Published

March 1, 2002

Author(s)

S Yoneda, William F. Guthrie, David S. Bright, C A. Khatri, Francis W. Wang

Abstract

Objective: In order to investigate the effects of hydrolytic degradation on the biocompatibility of poly (d,l-lactic acid) [P(d,l-LA], the initial attachment and the mitochondrial activity of MC3T3-El osteoblast-like cells on various degraded P(d,l-LA) disks were assessed. Methods: MC3T3-El cells were seeded on P(d,l-LA) disks (10 mm in diameter and 1.65 mm in thickness) that had been degraded by immersion in a hydrolyzing medium for (0 to 4) weeks. The cell spread area was measured with a fluorescence microscope after staining the plasma membrane with a fluorescent dye. The focal adhesion of the cells was also investigated by immunofluorescence staining of vinculin. Results: The cell spread area of cells on P(d,l-LA) disks that were not degraded did not differ significantly from that of cells on tissue-culture polystyrene, but the degradation of P(d,l-LA) disks affected cell spreading. The cell spread area decreased linearly with the degradation time of P(d,l-LA) (-741 307 m² per week at the 95% confidence level). All the quoted uncertainties herein represent the best estimate of two standard deviations in the experimental uncertainty. Compared with the cells on non-degraded P(d,l-LA) disks, cells on P(d,l-LA) disks that were degraded for 4 weeks showed irregular morphology. The number of live cells (up to 2.10 0.27 cells/mm² in log₁₀ units at the 95% confidence level, depending on the measurement location within the samples) on P(d,l-LA) disks also decreased linearly with the degradation time of P(d,l-LA) disks (up to -0.175 0.064 log₁₀ units per week at the 95% confidence level, again depending on measurement location within the samples). Focal adhesion began to disappear for cells on P(d,l-LA) disks degraded for 1 week. Conclusions: These results indicate that degraded P(d,l-LA) is less biocompatible than non-degraded P(d,l-LA), and focal adhesion is a more sensitive monitor of the biocompatibility of degraded P(d,l-LA) than cell spread area.

Citation

Journal of Dental Research

Volume

81

Issue

No. 1364

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

hydrolytic degradation

Citation

Yoneda, S. , Guthrie, W. , Bright, D. , Khatri, C. and Wang, F. (2002), Effects of Hydrolytic Degradation on In Vitro Biocompatibility of Poly (d,l-lactic acid), Journal of Dental Research, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=851953 (Accessed October 8, 2025)