A novel strategy for encapsulation and release of proteins: hydrogels and microgels with acid-labile acetal cross-linkers

N Murthy, YX Thng, S Schuck, MC Xu…

Index: Murthy, Niren; Thng, Yi X.; Schuck, Stephany; Xu, Ming C.; Frechet, Jean M. J. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2002 , vol. 124, # 42 p. 12398 - 12399

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Citation Number: 327

Abstract

A new acid-labile acetal cross-linker was synthesized and used to prepare protein-loaded hydrogels and microgels. This cross-linker undergoes an acid-catalyzed degradation with a half-life of 5.5 min at pH 5.0 and 24 h at pH 7.4. Protein-loaded hydrogels were synthesized with this cross-linker, and their release profiles were measured as a function of pH. Hydrogels made with the acetal cross-linker release their contents in a pH-dependent ...