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Biopolymers in Drug and Gene Delivery Systems
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Biopolymers in Drug and Gene Delivery Systems

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Macromolecules".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2022) | Viewed by 41821

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Yury A. Skorik

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
1. Head of the Laboratory of Natural Polymers, Institute of Macromolecular Compounds of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
2. Head of the Analytical Chemistry Department, Almazov National Medical Research Centre, St. Petersburg, Russia
Interests: polysaccharides; biomaterials; tissue engineering; drug delivery; gene delivery; nanomedicine; nanocomposites; electrospinning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biopolymers usually refer to natural polymers (mainly polysaccharides, proteins, and nucleic acids) produced by living organisms. In this Special Issue, this definition is extended to include semi-synthetic polymers (modified natural polymers) and synthetic polymers, which are biocompatible and biodegradable and can thus be used to design drug delivery systems. Natural and synthetic biopolymers each have advantages and disadvantages. While natural biopolymers are favored over synthetic polymers because of their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and environmental safety, synthetic biopolymers have distinct advantages regarding stability and can be adapted to suit a variety of biomedical applications.

This Special Issue invites authors from multidisciplinary fields to submit original research and up-to-date reviews on fundamental and applied aspects of the design, characterization, and properties of biopolymeric drug and gene delivery systems. Recent advances in polymer chemistry and technology have produced new functional biopolymers and smart nanomaterials with the potential to significantly improve the effectiveness of drug delivery. Ultimately, these materials could improve the treatment of severe diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases. We hope that this Special Issue will contribute to the diffusion of new knowledge on biopolymeric delivery systems and inspire further research in this interdisciplinary field.

Dr. Yury A. Skorik
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • biopolymers
  • drug delivery
  • gene delivery
  • biodegradable polymers
  • biocompatible polymers
  • nanomedicine

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Related Special Issues

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

4 pages, 204 KiB  
Editorial
Biopolymers in Drug and Gene Delivery Systems
by Yury A. Skorik
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(16), 12763; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241612763 - 14 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1134
Abstract
Recent years have seen remarkable advances in the field of drug and gene delivery systems, revolutionizing the way we approach therapeutic treatments [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers in Drug and Gene Delivery Systems)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

9 pages, 1349 KiB  
Article
Role of Polymer Concentration and Crosslinking Density on Release Rates of Small Molecule Drugs
by Francesca Briggs, Daryn Browne and Prashanth Asuri
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(8), 4118; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23084118 - 8 Apr 2022
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 2904
Abstract
Over the past few years, researchers have demonstrated the use of hydrogels to design drug delivery platforms that offer a variety of benefits, including but not limited to longer circulation times, reduced drug degradation, and improved targeting. Furthermore, a variety of strategies have [...] Read more.
Over the past few years, researchers have demonstrated the use of hydrogels to design drug delivery platforms that offer a variety of benefits, including but not limited to longer circulation times, reduced drug degradation, and improved targeting. Furthermore, a variety of strategies have been explored to develop stimulus-responsive hydrogels to design smart drug delivery platforms that can release drugs to specific target areas and at predetermined rates. However, only a few studies have focused on exploring how innate hydrogel properties can be optimized and modulated to tailor drug dosage and release rates. Here, we investigated the individual and combined roles of polymer concentration and crosslinking density (controlled using both chemical and nanoparticle-mediated physical crosslinking) on drug delivery rates. These experiments indicated a strong correlation between the aforementioned hydrogel properties and drug release rates. Importantly, they also revealed the existence of a saturation point in the ability to control drug release rates through a combination of chemical and physical crosslinkers. Collectively, our analyses describe how different hydrogel properties affect drug release rates and lay the foundation to develop drug delivery platforms that can be programmed to release a variety of bioactive payloads at defined rates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers in Drug and Gene Delivery Systems)
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17 pages, 2849 KiB  
Article
Development and Characterization of Gentamicin-Loaded Arabinoxylan-Sodium Alginate Films as Antibacterial Wound Dressing
by Abdulaziz I. Alzarea, Nabil K. Alruwaili, Muhammad Masood Ahmad, Muhammad Usman Munir, Adeel Masood Butt, Ziyad A. Alrowaili, Muhammad Syafiq Bin Shahari, Ziyad S. Almalki, Saad S. Alqahtani, Anton V. Dolzhenko and Naveed Ahmad
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(5), 2899; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23052899 - 7 Mar 2022
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 3906
Abstract
Biopolymer-based antibacterial films are attractive materials for wound dressing application because they possess chemical, mechanical, exudate absorption, drug delivery, antibacterial, and biocompatible properties required to support wound healing. Herein, we fabricated and characterized films composed of arabinoxylan (AX) and sodium alginate (SA) loaded [...] Read more.
Biopolymer-based antibacterial films are attractive materials for wound dressing application because they possess chemical, mechanical, exudate absorption, drug delivery, antibacterial, and biocompatible properties required to support wound healing. Herein, we fabricated and characterized films composed of arabinoxylan (AX) and sodium alginate (SA) loaded with gentamicin sulfate (GS) for application as a wound dressing. The FTIR, XRD, and thermal analyses show that AX, SA, and GS interacted through hydrogen bonding and were thermally stable. The AXSA film displays desirable wound dressing characteristics: transparency, uniform thickness, smooth surface morphology, tensile strength similar to human skin, mild water/exudate uptake capacity, water transmission rate suitable for wound dressing, and excellent cytocompatibility. In Franz diffusion release studies, >80% GS was released from AXSA films in two phases in 24 h following the Fickian diffusion mechanism. In disk diffusion assay, the AXSA films demonstrated excellent antibacterial effect against E.coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa. Overall, the findings suggest that GS-loaded AXSA films hold potential for further development as antibacterial wound dressing material. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers in Drug and Gene Delivery Systems)
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20 pages, 3855 KiB  
Article
Hybrid Nanoparticles and Composite Hydrogel Systems for Delivery of Peptide Antibiotics
by Dmitrii Iudin, Marina Vasilieva, Elena Knyazeva, Viktor Korzhikov-Vlakh, Elena Demyanova, Antonina Lavrentieva, Yury Skorik and Evgenia Korzhikova-Vlakh
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(5), 2771; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23052771 - 2 Mar 2022
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3540
Abstract
The growing number of drug-resistant pathogenic bacteria poses a global threat to human health. For this reason, the search for ways to enhance the antibacterial activity of existing antibiotics is now an urgent medical task. The aim of this study was to develop [...] Read more.
The growing number of drug-resistant pathogenic bacteria poses a global threat to human health. For this reason, the search for ways to enhance the antibacterial activity of existing antibiotics is now an urgent medical task. The aim of this study was to develop novel delivery systems for polymyxins to improve their antimicrobial properties against various infections. For this, hybrid core–shell nanoparticles, consisting of silver core and a poly(glutamic acid) shell capable of polymyxin binding, were developed and carefully investigated. Characterization of the hybrid nanoparticles revealed a hydrodynamic diameter of approximately 100 nm and a negative electrokinetic potential. The nanoparticles demonstrated a lack of cytotoxicity, a low uptake by macrophages, and their own antimicrobial activity. Drug loading and loading efficacy were determined for both polymyxin B and E, and the maximal loaded value with an appropriate size of the delivery systems was 450 µg/mg of nanoparticles. Composite materials based on agarose hydrogel were prepared, containing both the loaded hybrid systems and free antibiotics. The features of polymyxin release from the hybrid nanoparticles and the composite materials were studied, and the mechanisms of release were analyzed using different theoretical models. The antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was evaluated for both the polymyxin hybrid and the composite delivery systems. All tested samples inhibited bacterial growth. The minimal inhibitory concentrations of the polymyxin B hybrid delivery system demonstrated a synergistic effect when compared with either the antibiotic or the silver nanoparticles alone. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers in Drug and Gene Delivery Systems)
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21 pages, 3030 KiB  
Article
Polycondensed Peptide Carriers Modified with Cyclic RGD Ligand for Targeted Suicide Gene Delivery to Uterine Fibroid Cells
by Anna Egorova, Sofia Shtykalova, Marianna Maretina, Alexander Selutin, Natalia Shved, Dmitriy Deviatkin, Sergey Selkov, Vladislav Baranov and Anton Kiselev
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(3), 1164; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031164 - 21 Jan 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2360
Abstract
Suicide gene therapy was suggested as a possible strategy for the treatment of uterine fibroids (UFs), which are the most common benign tumors inwomen of reproductive age. For successful suicide gene therapy, DNAtherapeutics should be specifically delivered to UF cells. Peptide carriers are [...] Read more.
Suicide gene therapy was suggested as a possible strategy for the treatment of uterine fibroids (UFs), which are the most common benign tumors inwomen of reproductive age. For successful suicide gene therapy, DNAtherapeutics should be specifically delivered to UF cells. Peptide carriers are promising non-viral gene delivery systems that can be easily modified with ligands and other biomolecules to overcome DNA transfer barriers. Here we designed polycondensed peptide carriers modified with a cyclic RGD moiety for targeted DNA delivery to UF cells. Molecular weights of the resultant polymers were determined, and inclusion of the ligand was confirmed by MALDI-TOF. The physicochemical properties of the polyplexes, as well as cellular DNA transport, toxicity, and transfection efficiency were studied, and the specificity of αvβ3 integrin-expressing cell transfection was proved. The modification with the ligand resulted in a three-fold increase of transfection efficiency. Modeling of the suicide gene therapy by transferring the HSV-TK suicide gene to primary cells obtained from myomatous nodes of uterine leiomyoma patients was carried out. We observed up to a 2.3-fold decrease in proliferative activity after ganciclovir treatment of the transfected cells. Pro- and anti-apoptotic gene expression analysis confirmed our findings that the developed polyplexes stimulate UF cell death in a suicide-specific manner. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers in Drug and Gene Delivery Systems)
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14 pages, 3691 KiB  
Article
Polypropylene Graft Poly(methyl methacrylate) Graft Poly(N-vinylimidazole) as a Smart Material for pH-Controlled Drug Delivery
by Felipe López-Saucedo, Jesús Eduardo López-Barriguete, Guadalupe Gabriel Flores-Rojas, Sharemy Gómez-Dorantes and Emilio Bucio
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(1), 304; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23010304 - 28 Dec 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2337
Abstract
Surface modification of polypropylene (PP) films was achieved using gamma-irradiation-induced grafting to provide an adequate surface capable of carrying glycopeptide antibiotics. The copolymer was obtained following a versatile two-step route; pristine PP was exposed to gamma rays and grafted with methyl methacrylate (MMA), [...] Read more.
Surface modification of polypropylene (PP) films was achieved using gamma-irradiation-induced grafting to provide an adequate surface capable of carrying glycopeptide antibiotics. The copolymer was obtained following a versatile two-step route; pristine PP was exposed to gamma rays and grafted with methyl methacrylate (MMA), and afterward, the film was grafted with N-vinylimidazole (NVI) by simultaneous irradiation. Characterization included Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and physicochemical analysis of swelling and contact angle. The new material (PP-g-MMA)-g-NVI was loaded with vancomycin to quantify the release by UV-vis spectrophotometry at different pH. The surface of (PP-g-MMA)-g-NVI exhibited pH-responsiveness and moderate hydrophilicity, which are suitable properties for controlled drug release. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers in Drug and Gene Delivery Systems)
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12 pages, 19968 KiB  
Article
Heparin Enriched-WPI Coating on Ti6Al4V Increases Hydrophilicity and Improves Proliferation and Differentiation of Human Bone Marrow Stromal Cells
by Davide Facchetti, Ute Hempel, Laurine Martocq, Alan M. Smith, Andrey Koptyug, Roman A. Surmenev, Maria A. Surmeneva and Timothy E. L. Douglas
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(1), 139; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23010139 - 23 Dec 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3283
Abstract
Titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) is one of the most prominent biomaterials for bone contact because of its ability to bear mechanical loading and resist corrosion. The success of Ti6Al4V implants depends on bone formation on the implant surface. Hence, implant coatings which promote adhesion, [...] Read more.
Titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) is one of the most prominent biomaterials for bone contact because of its ability to bear mechanical loading and resist corrosion. The success of Ti6Al4V implants depends on bone formation on the implant surface. Hence, implant coatings which promote adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of bone-forming cells are desirable. One coating strategy is by adsorption of biomacromolecules. In this study, Ti6Al4V substrates produced by additive manufacturing (AM) were coated with whey protein isolate (WPI) fibrils, obtained at pH 2, and heparin or tinzaparin (a low molecular weight heparin LMWH) in order to improve the proliferation and differentiation of bone-forming cells. WPI fibrils proved to be an excellent support for the growth of human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSC). Indeed, WPI fibrils were resistant to sterilization and were stable during storage. This WPI-heparin-enriched coating, especially the LMWH, enhanced the differentiation of hBMSC by increasing tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) activity. Finally, the coating increased the hydrophilicity of the material. The results confirmed that WPI fibrils are an excellent biomaterial which can be used for biomedical coatings, as they are easily modifiable and resistant to heat treatments. Indeed, the already known positive effect on osteogenic integration of WPI-only coated substrates has been further enhanced by a simple adsorption procedure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers in Drug and Gene Delivery Systems)
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14 pages, 1979 KiB  
Article
Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Succinyl Chitosan-Dexamethasone Conjugates for Potential Intravitreal Dexamethasone Delivery
by Natallia V. Dubashynskaya, Anton N. Bokatyi, Alexey S. Golovkin, Igor V. Kudryavtsev, Maria K. Serebryakova, Andrey S. Trulioff, Yaroslav A. Dubrovskii and Yury A. Skorik
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(20), 10960; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222010960 - 11 Oct 2021
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 3820
Abstract
The development of intravitreal glucocorticoid delivery systems is a current global challenge for the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the posterior segment of the eye. The main advantages of these systems are that they can overcome anatomical and physiological ophthalmic barriers and increase [...] Read more.
The development of intravitreal glucocorticoid delivery systems is a current global challenge for the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the posterior segment of the eye. The main advantages of these systems are that they can overcome anatomical and physiological ophthalmic barriers and increase local bioavailability while prolonging and controlling drug release over several months to improve the safety and effectiveness of glucocorticoid therapy. One approach to the development of optimal delivery systems for intravitreal injections is the conjugation of low-molecular-weight drugs with natural polymers to prevent their rapid elimination and provide targeted and controlled release. This study focuses on the development of a procedure for a two-step synthesis of dexamethasone (DEX) conjugates based on the natural polysaccharide chitosan (CS). We first used carbodiimide chemistry to conjugate DEX to CS via a succinyl linker, and we then modified the obtained systems with succinic anhydride to impart a negative ζ-potential to the polymer particle surface. The resulting polysaccharide carriers had a degree of substitution with DEX moieties of 2–4%, a DEX content of 50–85 μg/mg, and a degree of succinylation of 64–68%. The size of the obtained particles was 400–1100 nm, and the ζ-potential was −30 to −33 mV. In vitro release studies at pH 7.4 showed slow hydrolysis of the amide and ester bonds in the synthesized systems, with a total release of 8–10% for both DEX and succinyl dexamethasone (SucDEX) after 1 month. The developed conjugates showed a significant anti-inflammatory effect in TNFα-induced and LPS-induced inflammation models, suppressing CD54 expression in THP-1 cells by 2- and 4-fold, respectively. Thus, these novel succinyl chitosan-dexamethasone (SucCS-DEX) conjugates are promising ophthalmic carriers for intravitreal delivery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers in Drug and Gene Delivery Systems)
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19 pages, 24890 KiB  
Article
High-Payload Buccal Delivery System of Amorphous Curcumin–Chitosan Nanoparticle Complex in Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose and Starch Films
by Li Ming Lim and Kunn Hadinoto
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(17), 9399; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22179399 - 30 Aug 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3044
Abstract
Oral delivery of curcumin (CUR) has limited effectiveness due to CUR’s poor systemic bioavailability caused by its first-pass metabolism and low solubility. Buccal delivery of CUR nanoparticles can address the poor bioavailability issue by virtue of avoidance of first-pass metabolism and solubility enhancement [...] Read more.
Oral delivery of curcumin (CUR) has limited effectiveness due to CUR’s poor systemic bioavailability caused by its first-pass metabolism and low solubility. Buccal delivery of CUR nanoparticles can address the poor bioavailability issue by virtue of avoidance of first-pass metabolism and solubility enhancement afforded by CUR nanoparticles. Buccal film delivery of drug nanoparticles, nevertheless, has been limited to low drug payload. Herein, we evaluated the feasibilities of three mucoadhesive polysaccharides, i.e., hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), starch, and hydroxypropyl starch as buccal films of amorphous CUR–chitosan nanoplex at high CUR payload. Both HPMC and starch films could accommodate high CUR payload without adverse effects on the films’ characteristics. Starch films exhibited far superior CUR release profiles at high CUR payload as the faster disintegration time of starch films lowered the precipitation propensity of the highly supersaturated CUR concentration generated by the nanoplex. Compared to unmodified starch, hydroxypropyl starch films exhibited superior CUR release, with sustained release of nearly 100% of the CUR payload in 4 h. Hydroxypropyl starch films also exhibited good payload uniformity, minimal weight/thickness variations, high folding endurance, and good long-term storage stability. The present results established hydroxypropyl starch as the suitable mucoadhesive polysaccharide for high-payload buccal film applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers in Drug and Gene Delivery Systems)
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13 pages, 3790 KiB  
Article
Hyaluronan/Diethylaminoethyl Chitosan Polyelectrolyte Complexes as Carriers for Improved Colistin Delivery
by Natallia V. Dubashynskaya, Sergei V. Raik, Yaroslav A. Dubrovskii, Elena V. Demyanova, Elena S. Shcherbakova, Daria N. Poshina, Anna Y. Shasherina, Yuri A. Anufrikov and Yury A. Skorik
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(16), 8381; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22168381 - 4 Aug 2021
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2657
Abstract
Improving the therapeutic characteristics of antibiotics is an effective strategy for controlling the growth of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative microorganisms. The purpose of this study was to develop a colistin (CT) delivery system based on hyaluronic acid (HA) and the water-soluble cationic chitosan derivative, diethylaminoethyl [...] Read more.
Improving the therapeutic characteristics of antibiotics is an effective strategy for controlling the growth of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative microorganisms. The purpose of this study was to develop a colistin (CT) delivery system based on hyaluronic acid (HA) and the water-soluble cationic chitosan derivative, diethylaminoethyl chitosan (DEAECS). The CT delivery system was a polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) obtained by interpolymeric interactions between the HA polyanion and the DEAECS polycation, with simultaneous inclusion of positively charged CT molecules into the resulting complex. The developed PEC had a hydrodynamic diameter of 210–250 nm and a negative surface charge (ζ-potential = −19 mV); the encapsulation and loading efficiencies were 100 and 16.7%, respectively. The developed CT delivery systems were characterized by modified release (30–40% and 85–90% of CT released in 15 and 60 min, respectively) compared to pure CT (100% CT released in 15 min). In vitro experiments showed that the encapsulation of CT in polysaccharide carriers did not reduce its antimicrobial activity, as the minimum inhibitory concentrations against Pseudomonas aeruginosa of both encapsulated CT and pure CT were 1 μg/mL. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers in Drug and Gene Delivery Systems)
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Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

17 pages, 1476 KiB  
Review
Cellulose Cryogels as Promising Materials for Biomedical Applications
by Irina V. Tyshkunova, Daria N. Poshina and Yury A. Skorik
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(4), 2037; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23042037 - 12 Feb 2022
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 5318
Abstract
The availability, biocompatibility, non-toxicity, and ease of chemical modification make cellulose a promising natural polymer for the production of biomedical materials. Cryogelation is a relatively new and straightforward technique for producing porous light and super-macroporous cellulose materials. The production stages include dissolution of [...] Read more.
The availability, biocompatibility, non-toxicity, and ease of chemical modification make cellulose a promising natural polymer for the production of biomedical materials. Cryogelation is a relatively new and straightforward technique for producing porous light and super-macroporous cellulose materials. The production stages include dissolution of cellulose in an appropriate solvent, regeneration (coagulation) from the solution, removal of the excessive solvent, and then freezing. Subsequent freeze-drying preserves the micro- and nanostructures of the material formed during the regeneration and freezing steps. Various factors can affect the structure and properties of cellulose cryogels, including the cellulose origin, the dissolution parameters, the solvent type, and the temperature and rate of freezing, as well as the inclusion of different fillers. Adjustment of these parameters can change the morphology and properties of cellulose cryogels to impart the desired characteristics. This review discusses the structure of cellulose and its properties as a biomaterial, the strategies for cellulose dissolution, and the factors affecting the structure and properties of the formed cryogels. We focus on the advantages of the freeze-drying process, highlighting recent studies on the production and application of cellulose cryogels in biomedicine and the main cryogel quality characteristics. Finally, conclusions and prospects are presented regarding the application of cellulose cryogels in wound healing, in the regeneration of various tissues (e.g., damaged cartilage, bone tissue, and nerves), and in controlled-release drug delivery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers in Drug and Gene Delivery Systems)
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21 pages, 10663 KiB  
Review
Cyclodextrin-Containing Hydrogels: A Review of Preparation Method, Drug Delivery, and Degradation Behavior
by Jiayue Liu, Bingren Tian, Yumei Liu and Jian-Bo Wan
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(24), 13516; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222413516 - 16 Dec 2021
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 5688
Abstract
Hydrogels possess porous structures, which are widely applied in the field of materials and biomedicine. As a natural oligosaccharide, cyclodextrin (CD) has shown remarkable application prospects in the synthesis and utilization of hydrogels. CD can be incorporated into hydrogels to form chemically or [...] Read more.
Hydrogels possess porous structures, which are widely applied in the field of materials and biomedicine. As a natural oligosaccharide, cyclodextrin (CD) has shown remarkable application prospects in the synthesis and utilization of hydrogels. CD can be incorporated into hydrogels to form chemically or physically cross-linked networks. Furthermore, the unique cavity structure of CD makes it an ideal vehicle for the delivery of active ingredients into target tissues. This review describes useful methods to prepare CD-containing hydrogels. In addition, the potential biomedical applications of CD-containing hydrogels are reviewed. The release and degradation process of CD-containing hydrogels under different conditions are discussed. Finally, the current challenges and future research directions on CD-containing hydrogels are presented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers in Drug and Gene Delivery Systems)
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