Wathier Michel, Jung Pil J, Carnahan Michael A, Kim Terry, Grinstaff Mark W
Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Chemistry, Metcalf Center for Science and Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
J Am Chem Soc. 2004 Oct 13;126(40):12744-5. doi: 10.1021/ja045870l.
Dendritic macromers are attractive macromolecules for hydrogel formation since high cross-linking densities at low polymer concentration can be obtained, varied physical properties can be observed based on the macromer structure, and low viscous aqueous solutions can be injected in an in vivo site of irregular shaped to form a well-integrated polymer network. A peptide dendron possessing terminal cysteine residues was synthesized and characterized. When this peptide dendron was mixed with poly(ethylene glycol dialdehyde) in aqueous solution at pH = 7.4, a hydrogel spontaneously formed as a consequence of thiazolidine linkages between the macromers. Such in situ polymerized hydrogels are of interest for tissue engineering and wound-repair applications. To evaluate the potential use of this hydrogel sealant in ophthalmic surgeries, a 3-mm clear corneal incision (i.e., the wounds created during a typical cataract surgery) was successfully sealed.
树枝状大分子单体是用于水凝胶形成的有吸引力的大分子，因为在低聚合物浓度下可以获得高交联密度，可以基于大分子单体结构观察到不同的物理性质，并且低粘度水溶液可以注射到不规则形状的体内部位以形成良好整合的聚合物网络。合成并表征了具有末端半胱氨酸残基的肽树枝状分子。当该肽树枝状分子在pH = 7.4的水溶液中与聚（乙二醇二醛）混合时，由于大分子单体之间的噻唑烷键，水凝胶自发形成。这种原位聚合水凝胶对于组织工程和伤口修复应用很有意义。为了评估这种水凝胶密封剂在眼科手术中的潜在用途，成功密封了一个3毫米的透明角膜切口（即典型白内障手术期间产生的伤口）。
