%0 Journal Article %J J Biomed Mater Res %D 2001 %T Degradable and injectable poly(aldehyde guluronate) hydrogels for bone tissue engineering %A Lee, K Y %A Alsberg, E %A Mooney, D J %K 3T3 Cells %K Aldehydes %K Alginates %K Animals %K Animals, Newborn %K Biocompatible Materials %K Biodegradation, Environmental %K Biomedical Engineering %K Bone and Bones %K Cell Adhesion %K Cells, Cultured %K Cross-Linking Reagents %K Elasticity %K Injections, Subcutaneous %K Mice %K Mice, SCID %K Osteoblasts %K Polysaccharides %K Rats %K Skull %K Time Factors %X Degradable and injectable hydrogels may be ideal for bone-tissue engineering, especially in the craniofacial region because of the ease of access for injection. Alginate hydrogels potentially could be used as injectable cell delivery vehicles, but they exhibit a limited range of mechanical properties and uncontrollable disintegration time. Therefore we synthesized new hydrogels, composed of poly(aldehyde guluronate) (PAG) and adipic acid dihydrazide, that have a wide range of mechanical stiffness and controllable degradation rate. MC3T3-E1 cells adhered and multiplied on PAG hydrogels in vitro. When primary rat calvarial osteoblasts were mixed with PAG hydrogels and subcutaneously injected into the backs of mice, mineralized bone tissues were formed 9 weeks following implantation. These hydrogels may find wide utility as an injectable delivery system for bone precursor cells as well as for other applications in tissue engineering. %B J Biomed Mater Res %V 56 %P 228-33 %8 2001 Aug %G eng %N 2 %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11340593?dopt=Abstract