Protein-Based Biodegradable Polymers

It is a local haemostatic and antiseptic agent. The haemostatic effect of feracrylum is based on the formation of synthetic complex consisting of its adduct with plasma proteins principally albumin. Like other biodegradable polymers, the feracrylum-albumin complex formed gets broken down over a period of time. 

PROGRESS IN DESIGN OF BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER-BASED MICROSPHERES FOR PARENTERAL CONTROLLED DELIVERY OF THERAPEUTIC PEPTIDE/PROTEIN... 

Selected examples of therapeutic peptide and protein including vaccines which have been encapsulated into biodegradable polymer-based microspheres are discussed in this section. Besides what is mentioned below, many other proteins and vaccines have been encapsulated in biodegradable polymers, so a glimpse of ongoing... 

Shunmugaperumal Tamilvanan, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium, Progress in Design of Biodegradable Polymer-Based Microspheres for Parenteral Controlled Delivery of Therapeutic Peptide/Protein Oil-in-Water Nanosized Emulsions Medical Applications... 

In this chapter, solid-state structure and properties relative to the morphologies of several chemically and bacterially synthesized biodegradable polymeric materials are described based mainly on the results obtained for bacterially synthesized polyesters by high resolution solid-state NMR spectroscopy. This chapter briefly discusses polymer blends, which also includes polysaccharides and proteins, since more details are given in other chapters of this book. Several books on biodegradable polymers have been published [1,2], and many review articles on structure and properties of bacterially synthesized polyesters have also been published elsewhere [7-10, 19-22]. 

C. Guda, S.B. Lee, and H. Daniell, Stable expression of a biodegradable protein-based polymer in stable tobacco chloroplasts. Plant Cell Reports 19 257-262, 2000. 

Despite of the encouraging potential of polymeric nano/microparticles, formulating a marketable peptide-delivery system still remains a major challenge. In this chapter, we have attempted to review the prospects and problems associated with polymeric nano/microparticles toward oral peptide delivery. Polymers are classified under three different categories (1) synthetic biodegradable polymers, (2) synthetic nonbiodegradable polymers, and (3) natural- and protein-based polymers (Table 57.2). 

Natural polymers such as starch and protein are potential alternatives to petroleum-based polymers for a number of applications. Unfortunately, their high solubility in water limit their use for water sensitive applications. To solve this problem thermoplastic starches have been laminated using water-resistant, biodegradable polymers. For example, polylactic acid and P(3HB-co-3HV) were utilised as the outer layers of the stratified polyester/PWS (plasticized wheat starch)/polyester film strucmre in order to improve the mechanical properties and water resistance of PWS which made it useful for food packaging and disposable articles [65]. Moreover, improved physic-chemical interactions between P(3HB-CO-3HV) and wheat straw fibres were achieved with high temperature treatment. It resulted in increased P(3HB-co-3HV) crystallization, increased Young s moduli and lowered values of stress and strain to break than the neat matrix of P(3HB-co-3HV). There was no difference in the biodegradation rate of the polymer [66]. 

Figure 1.10. Ihermoplastics are polymers that melt at a temperature well below thermal decomposition such that they can be melted and formed into a desired shape as a melt. Shown are three thermoplastics, two are plastics of our daily use and a third is a designed protein-based thermoplastic that melts at 160°C and does not decompose until the temperature is raised above 250°C. The protein thermoplastic can be programmed to biodegrade with half-Uves ranging from days to decades when in an aqueous environment.

D.W. Urry, A. Pattanaik, M.A. Accavitti, C-X. Luan, D.T. McPherson, J. Xu, D.C. Gowda, T.M. Parker, C.M, Harris, and N. Jing, Tl-ansductional Elastic and Plastic Protein-based Polymers as Potential Medical Devices, in Handbook of Biodegradable Polymers, ed. by Domb, Kost, and Wiseman, Harwood Academic Publishers, Chur, Switzerland, pp. 367-386,1997. 

Produced from renewable resources Living organisms—E. coli, yeast, plants, and animals—can be designed to produce protein-based polymers. Protein-based polymers can be produced with renewable resources. They can be prepared without resorting to toxic and noxious chemicals, and they can be programmed for a desired biodegradation. For example, they can mean food for the fishes rather than death to marine life, as occurs with present plastics. Thus, protein-based polymers can be environmentally friendly for their complete life cycle, from production to disposal. 

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