title: Stable and pH-sensitive nanogels prepared by self-assembly of chitosan and ovalbumin.
abstract: Two natural macromolecules, chitosan and ovalbumin, were used to produce nanogels by a new, green, and convenient method. Chitosan and ovalbumin solutions were mixed; the pH of the resulting solution was adjusted; and the solution was successively stirred and heated. After that, ovalbumin gelled forming nanospheres. The chitosan chains are supposed to be partly trapped in the nanogel core upon heating because of the electrostatic attractions between chitosan and ovalbumin, while the rest of the chitosan chains should form the shell of the nanogels. The nanogels did not change the size distribution after long-time storage and did not dissociate in the pH range of 2-10.5. The dispersibility, size, and hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity of the nanogels are pH-dependent. The nanogels are good candidates for cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Macromolecular Science and the Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymer, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Shaoyong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Jinhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Xiaoyun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D053758:Nanoparticles; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000737:chemistry*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D010047:Ovalbumin; D048271:Chitosan