Issue 10, 2011

Dextran based photodegradable hydrogels formed via a Michael addition

Abstract

A photodegradable, covalently crosslinked hydrogel system has been constructed from the biocompatible polymers dextran and poly(ethylene glycol) using the acrylate–thiol Michael addition as the crosslinking method. Light sensitivity of the hydrogel was introduced by placing a non-toxic photolabile o-nitrobenzyl moiety in between dextran backbone and acrylate group. Hydrogels were prepared under physiological conditions without the need of any additional reagents by mixing solutions of dextran functionalized with acrylate-modified o-nitrobenzyl moieties (Dex-AN) and dithiolated poly(ethylene glycol) (DSPEG). The degradation of the hydrogels due to UV irradiation was investigated with scanning electron microscopy, infrared and UV-vis spectroscopy. Using green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a model protein, light triggered protein release from the obtained gel matrices was investigated in different forms. Furthermore, photodegradation of the hydrogel via two photon excitation was also examined using focused pulsed near infrared (NIR) laser beam as a light source.

Graphical abstract: Dextran based photodegradable hydrogels formed via a Michael addition

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
18 Feb 2011
Accepted
14 Mar 2011
First published
08 Apr 2011

Soft Matter, 2011,7, 4881-4887

Dextran based photodegradable hydrogels formed via a Michael addition

K. Peng, I. Tomatsu, B. van den Broek, C. Cui, A. V. Korobko, J. van Noort, A. H. Meijer, H. P. Spaink and A. Kros, Soft Matter, 2011, 7, 4881 DOI: 10.1039/C1SM05291H

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