Characterization of the cell response of cultured macrophages and fibroblasts to particles of short‐chain poly [(R)‐3‐hydroxybutyric acid]

The known biodegradability of poly [(R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid](PHB) in certain biological environments had led to its proposed use as a biodegradable, biocompatible polymer. Recently, a new, rapidly biodegradable block copolymer that contains crystalline domains of PHB blocks has been synthesized. During degradation of these polymers, the PHB domains are transformed in a first step into small crystalline particles of short-chain PHB. Therefore, particles of short-chain poly [(R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid](M n 2300)(PHB-P ...