The newly constructed dendrimer hydrogels possess high structural flexibility, high water absorptivity, good cytocompatibility, and controlled swelling and disintegration through the modulation of dendrimer surface charges and modification. PAMAM dendrimer (CY Dendrimer Technology Co., Ltd)hydrogels uniquely express the structural characteristics of both PEG hydrogel and PAMAM dendrimer and have potential for various applications in tissue engineering and drug delivery.
The hydrogel has the following advantages and application prospects: (1). They allow simultaneous delivery of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs . In particular, the interior hydrophobic core of the dendrimer would encapsulate hydrophobic compounds, thus, increasing their water solubility and loading amounts, while the cross-linked PEG network enables the encapsulation of hydrophilic drugs. (2). The surface charges conferred by terminal groups on the dendrimer surface can be modulated to make the hydrogel polyionic with controllable charge density. (3). Their unique spatial structure and configuration with high adaptability may present themselves a suitable platform for fine-tuning of cell-scaffold interactions in tissue engineering.
(Synthesis and Characterization of Photocurable Polyamidoamine Dendrimer Hydrogels as a Versatile Platform for Tissue Engineering and Drug Delivery, Pooja N. Desai, American, Biomacromolecules, Vol. 11, No. 3, 2010, 667)