Hydrogels degradation

Hydrogel degradation time was controlled by the molecular weight obtained and the crosslink density of the material. 

The soluble fraction data were used to calculate equQi-briiun pol3mier concentrations and equihbrimn hydration of the hydrogels (42). The data indicate that, after release of the initial soluble fraction, no hydrogel degradation or dissolution... 

T.A. Ahmed, M. Griffith, M. Hincke, Characterization and inhibition of fibrin hydrogel-degrading enzymes during development of tissue engineering scaffolds. Tissue Eng. 13 (2007) 1469-1477. 

DuBose, J.W., CutshaU, C. and Metiers, A.T., 2005. Controlled release of tethered molecules via engineered hydrogel degradation model development and validation. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 74A(1), 104—116. 

Fukunaka Y, Iwanaga K, Morimoto K, Kakemi M, Tabata Y, Controlled release of plasmid DNA from cationized gelatin hydrogels based on hydrogel degradation. J... 

Keywords Thermosensitive, Composite Hydrogel, Degradation, Pluronic, Drug Release. 

Figure 10.17 Degradation strategies for chemically cross-linked hydrogels. Degradation (a) via cleavage of the polymer backbone, (b) cross-linker, and (c) pendant-group (Kharkar et al., 2013).

Enzymatically degradable HA-based hydrogels can be used as site-specific therapeutic delivery vehicles. HA-based hydrogels degrade in the presence of hyaluronidase that catalyze the hydrolysis of C—O, C—N, and C—C. 

In a different strategy, light was used to control hydrogel degradation in well-defined patterns. 

Benoit, D. S. W., Durney, A. R., and Anseth, K. S. 2006. Manipulations in hydrogel degradation behavior enhance osteoblast function and mineralized tissue formation. Ussue Eng 12 1663-73. 

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