Poly(oligoethylene glycol methacrylate) (POEGMA), is a comb-shaped, graft copolymer consisting of hydrophilic oligomer PEG chains grafted to a hydrophobic polymethacrylate backbone. POEGMA has been suggested as a viable alternative to poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in biological and biomaterial applications. POEGMA has been reported to improve pharmacokinetic properties of protein and peptide conjugates, enhance the stability and gene silencing efficiency of siRNAs, as an anti-fouling surface for biosensors, and eliminate PEG antigenicity. In addition to use in biomolecule-polymer conjugates, PEOGMA has also seen wide spread use in tissue engineering applications, such as hydrogel synthesis. Aldehyde-functionalized POEGMA can be readily used with the corresponding hydrazide-functionalized POEGMA for rapid gelation via reversible hydrazone bond formation. Due to the reversibility of the bond formation and the low viscosity of the precursors, resulting hydrogels can be used as injectable tissue engineering matrices, local drug delivery vehicles for small molecules, or as joint lubricants. In addition, the physical properties of the resulting hydrogels, such as LCST, gelation rates, swelling kinetics, degredation kinetics, and mechanical properties, can all be readily controlled by solution concentration and the ratios of each solution.
Synonyms: PEGMA; POEGMA
Linear Structural Formula: [CH2CCH3(COO(CH2CH2O)8CH3)]m[CH2CCH3(CONHCH2COH)]q
Storage: 2-8C