title: PEG-grafted chitosan as an injectable thermoreversible hydrogel.
abstract: PEG-grafted chitosan was formulated such that its solution undergoes a thermally reversed phase transition from an injectable free-flowing solution at low temperature to a gel at body temperature. Aqueous solutions of PEG-grafted chitosan can be prepared at physiological pH values, thereby allowing safe incorporation of bioactive molecules. This injectable thermoreversible hydrogel is potentially suitable for a wide range of biomedical applications, particularly in sustained in vivo drug release and tissue engineering. An aqueous solution of PEG-grafted chitosan polymer is injectable at low temperatures but forms a gel at body temperature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-2120, USA.
authors.forename: Narayan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bhattarai
authors.forename: Frederick A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Matsen
authors.forename: Miqin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D048271:Chitosan; D020100:Hydrogels; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D013696:Temperature; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D048271:Chitosan