Phagocytosis and biodegradation of short-chain poly [(R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid] particles in macrophage cell line

The biocompatibility and the degradation mechanisms of block co-polyurethanes containing crystallizable telechelic poly [(R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid](PHB) segments have found recently growing interest for the possible biomedical applications of these new materials. The random hydrolytic cleavage of the amorphous part of these polymers might result, in vivo, in the production of small crystalline particles of low molecular weight PHB that could then undergo phagocytosis and biodegradation inside phagosomes. To test this possibility, a ...