Issue 20, 2010

Polyglycerol nanogels: highly functional scaffolds for biomedical applications

Abstract

Branched polyglycerols (PGs) are a versatile class of functionalisable, hydrophilic, hydroxylated polyethers with ideal properties for numerous applications. Historically, synthetic limitations have restricted the study of such materials to globular hyperbranched polymers (<10 nm) or macroscale biocompatible hydrogels (>1000 nm). In this Emerging Area minireview we describe how we use miniemulsion polymerisation to prepare polyglycerol nanogels on previously unobtainable length scales. Various cases are discussed with particle sizes that are highly tunable between 25 and 350 nm diameter; methods to surface functionalise such particles are also described. Biodegradable polyglycerol based nanogels have also been prepared by incorporating redox active disulfide branching points within the nanogel structure. Cell culture studies show that these nanogels are highly biocompatible. Additionally, dye labelled nanogels are shown by optical microscopy techniques to readily internalise into cells by endocytic mechanisms. We believe that these polyglycerol nanogels will emerge as excellent materials for use in a broad range of biomedical applications.

Graphical abstract: Polyglycerol nanogels: highly functional scaffolds for biomedical applications

Article information

Article type
Emerging Area
Submitted
23 Mar 2010
Accepted
15 Jun 2010
First published
23 Jul 2010

Soft Matter, 2010,6, 4968-4975

Polyglycerol nanogels: highly functional scaffolds for biomedical applications

A. L. Sisson and R. Haag, Soft Matter, 2010, 6, 4968 DOI: 10.1039/C0SM00149J

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