HYDROGEL CAPABLE OF CONTAINING AND CONVEYING CELLS

The present invention relates to an interpenetrating biodegradable polymeric matrix hydrogel and its use as a means for supporting, encapsulating, conveying and releasing several kinds of cells, for example central nervous system cells and in particular neuronal cells, under conditions which allow to keep them alive, their growth and the interconnections. The invention further relates to the use of said hydrogel for preparing implants for integrally or partially regenerating, reconstructing andlor replacing damaged, dead or no longer functional tissues, for example at the level of muscle, myocardium, cartilaginous tissue, bone, tendon, hepatic, demis, epidermis, corneal tissue and connective tissue in general, in particular at the central nervous system or spinal marrow level. In such a use, the biodegradability of the hydrogel allows a progressive release of the conveyed cells in order to promote their integration, even functional, with the smounding tissue. Moreover, the hydrogel object of the present invention may also be employed to support cells, for example neural cells such as neuronal cells, on measuring devices, specifically realised for monitoring several parameters of cell activity, also during pharmacological and bio-mechanical tests.