Poly(N-Vinylpyrrolidone) based biomimetic hydrogels

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the modern, fast moving society of today, there is a strong focus in research placed onthe elimination of lengthy invasive medical procedures. Target specific, and chemo selectivetreatments are of great interest. Various advantages of this include patient comfort and overand above all cost reduction of invasive procedures. This project focused on the developmentof an injectable gel system with the use of biocompatible polymers. A system is regarded asinjectable if the functional polymers are in solution before administration, but gels whenadded together. In order to design this system, one has to make use of polymers withcomplimentary functional groups.Telechelic amino-functionalized PVP with narrow molecular weight distribution wassynthesized via RAFT-mediated polymerization. The polymer was thoroughly characterizedand cross-linked with Poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride) to form a three dimensionalpolymeric network capable of absorbing and retaining large amounts of water and orbiological fluid. Unfortunately the cross-linking needed to be performed in non-aqueoussolution due to hydrolysis of maleic anhydride as a competing reaction in water.The gel was used in two model studies. The first model study focused on the attachment ofa synthetic polypeptide onto the gel. The second model study evaluated the cytotoxicityeffects of these gels when placed in direct contact with rodent cardiac myoblast and myocytecells. These studies rendered promising results for future biological applications.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University