A simple method for the synthesis of porous polymeric vesicles and their application as MR contrast agents.

ABSTRACT: Because of their low membrane permeability the use of polymeric vesicles in certain drug delivery and molecular imaging applications and as bioreactors is less than ideal. Here, we report a simple method to prepare porous polymeric vesicles that possess high membrane permeability. Specifically, porous vesicles were produced from the aqueous assembly of the diblock copolymer PEG-PBD, and the triblock copolymer PEG-PPO-PEG. It was found that PEG-PPO-PEG-doped polymersomes exhibited improved membrane permeability to molecules less than 5 kDa. Further, these porous vesicles retained molecules ≥10 kDa within their aqueous interiors with no significant leakage. To demonstrate its application, highly efficient magnetic resonance contrast agents were produced from porous polymersomes by encapsulat

SUBMITTER: Yan L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4675335 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature