Dr. Suk-Min Hong, Dr. Ji-Young Yoon, and Dr. Jae-Ryung Cha at ITREN developed polycaprolactone-based polyurethane (PCL-PU) copolymers with excellent shape-memory, hyper-elasticity, and ultra-cell-adhesion properties intended for various tissue regeneration applications. The study recently got published in journal Bioengineering &Translational medicine (IF: 10.684) under the title “Hyperelastic, shape-memorable, and ultra-cell-adhesive degradable polycaprolactone-polyurethane copolymer for tissue regeneration” (Read the article online: https://doi.org/10.1002/btm2.10332).

The PCL-PU biomaterial developed have shown prominent mechanical properties (~ 50 MPa tensile strength and ~ 1150% elongation with hyper-elasticity under cyclic load). The shape-memory features were also proved in film, thread, and 3D scaffold forms. With extensive invitro experiments, authors revealed the ultra-cell-adhesive properties and tissue regenerative potential by performing differentiation towards myogenic and osteogenic lineages. Furthermore, tissue compatibility, immune responses, and regenerative potential was investigated in-vivo. This study suggests the multifunctional roles of PCL-PU as a therapeutic biomaterial exclusively for minimally invasive surgeries that demands minor skin openings to target large defects along with promoting excellent tissue regeneration.