| abstract |
The present invention relates to a process for preparing a biocompatible and biodegradable porous three-dimensional polymer matrix comprising a network of open and interconnected pores, to the porous polymer matrix obtained by means of such a process, and also to the uses thereof, in particular as a support and for culturing cells or in regenerative medicine, and in particular for cell therapy, in particular cardiac cell therapy. The process for preparing said matrix comprises the following steps: 1) preparing an aqueous solution comprising at least one biocompatible anionic polysaccharide and at least one biocompatible cationic polymer, 2) mechanically stirring said solution obtained above in the preceding step, in the presence of a foaming agent or of a gas under pressure, so as to form a foam, 3) freezing the foam obtained above in the preceding step, so as to obtain a frozen foam, 4) gelling the frozen foam obtained above in the preceding step, by adding to said foam at least one gelling agent in solution in a solvent, so as to obtain a gelled foam, 5) dehydrating the gelled foam obtained above in the preceding step, so as to obtain a dehydrated gelled foam, then 6) drying the dehydrated gelled foam obtained above in the preceding step, by treatment with supercritical CO2, so as to obtain said polymer matrix. |