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Quantitative Microscopy for Analysis of Hydrogel Pore Structure

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 July 2020

Andrew J. Marshall  and
Buddy D. Ratner
Andrew J. Marshall
Affiliation:
University of Washington Engineered Biomaterials, Box 351720, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195-1720, USA
Buddy D. Ratner
Affiliation:
University of Washington Engineered Biomaterials, Box 351720, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195-1720, USA
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Abstract

Introduction Applications for porous biomaterials include scaffolds for tissue engineering and spatial control of wound healing. Porous hydrogels are of particular interest due to their hydrophilic nature, elasticity, and mechanical compatibility with soft tissues. We present an optical technique for quantitatively analyzing the pore structure of porous hydrogel materials. The technique presented here is especially useful for analyzing a new class of porous hydrogels with spherical pore shape. Many important properties of the three-dimensional pore structure of these materials can be quantitatively described by analyzing a twodimensional slice (thin section) of material.

Materials and Methods

Porous cross-linked hydrogels were prepared using a previously described method. Briefly, poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (polyHEMA) was polymerized around a pore template of close-packed poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microspheres (Sekisui Plastics, grade MB-8C or MB-20C). The microspheres were then leached out with 90% v/v acetone.

Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images were obtained using an FEI 2020 Environmental SEM with a gun voltage of 15 kV and a chamber pressure of 5 torr.

Type
Digital Imaging and Adobe Photoshop (Organized by J. Mackenzie)
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 7 , Issue S2: Proceedings: Microscopy & Microanalysis 2001, Microscopy Society of America 59th Annual Meeting, Microbeam Analysis Society 35th Annual Meeting, Long Beach, California August 5-9, 2001 , August 2001 , pp. 834 - 835
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2001

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References

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