Redox-Responsive Hydrogels for Tunable and "On-Demand" Release of Biomacromolecules.

ABSTRACT: In recent years, stimuli-responsive degradation has emerged as a desirable design criterion for functional hydrogels to tune the release of encapsulated payload as well as ensure degradation of the gel upon completion of its function. Herein, redox-responsive hydrogels with a well-defined network structure were obtained using a highly efficient thiol-disulfide exchange reaction. In particular, gelation occurred upon combining thiol-terminated tetra-arm polyethylene glycol (PEG) polymers with linear telechelic PEG-based polymers containing pyridyl disulfide units at their chain ends. Rapid gelation proceeds with good conversions (>85%) to yield macroporous hydrogels possessing high water uptake. Furthermore, due to the presence of the disulfide linkages, the thus-obtained hydrogels can self

SUBMITTER: Kilic Boz R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9121344 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature