Chemical derivatization and biofunctionalization of hydrogel nanomembranes for potential biomedical and biosensor applications

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2016 Apr 28;18(17):12035-42. doi: 10.1039/c5cp07840g.

Abstract

Poly(ethylene glycol) based hydrogel nanomembranes (PHMs) are demonstrated to be able to host protein-specific receptors, providing, at the same time, stable, protein-repelling matrices with a characteristic mesh size up to 7-8 nm. The membranes were prepared by crosslinking of amino- and epoxy-terminated STAR-PEG precursors and maintained their hydrogel and protein-repelling properties even at a deviation of the precursor composition from the equilibrium value (1 : 1). The grafting density of the test avidin protein, specifically attached to the biotin moieties coupled to the free amine groups in the PHMs, varied from 0.45 × 10(12) to 1.3 × 10(12) proteins per cm(2) within the sampling depth of the experiments (∼11.5 nm), depending on the precursor composition, whereas the analogous values for the non-specifically adsorbed proteins were lower by a factor of 4-5. The engineering of PHMs with biomolecule-specific receptors and their loading with biomolecules are of potential interest for sensor fabrication and biomedical applications, including tissue engineering and regenerative therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Avidin / chemistry
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry*
  • Biosensing Techniques
  • Biotin / chemistry
  • Cross-Linking Reagents / chemistry*
  • Hydrogels / chemistry*
  • Immobilized Proteins / chemistry
  • Membranes, Artificial*
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemistry*
  • Tissue Engineering

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Cross-Linking Reagents
  • Hydrogels
  • Immobilized Proteins
  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Avidin
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Biotin