Abstract
Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels are water-swellable, non-toxic, non-immunogenic, and biocompatible. In this paper, we describe the generation of biodegradable PEG hydrogels by cross-linking biotinylated PEG oligomers containing intrinsic disulfide bonds via biotin-avidin interactions. The biotinylated PEG oligomers were synthesized by the condensation reaction between PEG and 3,3′-dithiodipropionic acid, followed by the reaction with biotin. This methodology obviates the need for potentially toxic chemical cross-linking agents that are usually used in the common preparation of hydrogels. Therefore it may be particularly useful in biomedical or pharmaceutical applications.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1413-1417 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Australian Journal of Chemistry |
Volume | 63 |
Issue number | 10 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2010 |
Externally published | Yes |