Influence of Cross-Linker on Hydrogel Properties for DNA Delivery Applications

摘要

Over the past few years, several types of polymer scaffolds such as hydrogels have been explored for gene therapy methods. Controlled DNA delivery to cells in-vivo can prolong foreign gene expression, thereby reducing the need for repeated dosing, which is a significant advantage for long-term delivery. Hydrogels are hydrophilic polymeric networks that are covalently cross-linked to form insoluble matrix that can absorb and retain a large a mount of water and swell by an hydratation process. Hydrogels produced by photopolymerization of bioerodible polymers have been extensively used for a number of biomedical applications. The photopolymerization process allows the hydrogel to be generated in-vitro or in-vivo from a low viscosity of low molecular mass (MM) macromer solution via a free radical pathway at any desired shape of the site of injection capable of adhering tissue surfaces together.