Stimuli-sensitive hydrogels: ideal carriers for chronobiology and chronotherapy

Assessing the viability of carbamoylethyl pullulan-g-stearic acid based smart polymeric micelles for tumor targeting of raloxifene

The present investigation entails the synthesis of smart pullulan polymeric micelles for evaluating its tumor targeting potential. For this purpose, two step polymerization synthesis reactions were conducted. In the first step, carbamoylethylation occurs by reaction of the free alcoholic moieties at 6th position of glucopyranose unit of pullulan with acrylamide in presence of alkali to obtain carbamoylethyl pullulan (CmP). In the second step, CmP undergoes graft polymerization with stearic acid (SA) to obtain CmP-g-stearic acid diblock co-polymer (CmP-g-SA) as evident from FTIR and NMR analysis. The XpRD spectra showed crystalline nature that was further confirmed by SEM indicating rough and poly-porous morphology. The QbD based optimized formulations of raloxifene HCl (RLX) loaded polymeric micelles (RLX PMs) exhibited pH-dependent release profile with added advantage of 1.2 times reduction in percentage hemolysis giving substantial compatibility with erythrocytes. In vivo pharmacokinetic performance of RLX PMs suggested enhanced mean residence time and volume of distribution. Besides, the biodistribution study of RLX PMs manifested enhanced entry of RLX in mammary carcinoma tissues as compared to normal tissues suggested that CmP-g-SA based micelles enhanced the anti-tumor activity of RLX. Overall, the findings pointed toward the biocompatibility of CmP-g-SA as a potential carrier system for the delivery of RLX.

Alginate hydrogel beads embedded with drug-bearing polycaprolactone microspheres for sustained release of paclobutrazol

In recent years there has been a growing demand for the development of agrochemical controlled release (CR) technologies. In the present study, we aimed to create a novel agricultural CR device using two polymeric systems that have been predominantly employed in biomedical applications: beads of alginate hydrogel embedded with drug-bearing Polycaprolactone (PCL) microspheres. The combined device utilizes the advantages of each polymer type for biodegradation and controlled release of Paclobutrazol (PBZ), a common growth retardant in plants. Surface morphology of the alginate beads was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and water immersion tests were performed for stability and controlled release measurements. Bioassays were performed both in accelerated laboratory conditions and in field conditions. The results showed a capability to control the size of PBZ-loaded PCL microspheres through modification of homogenization speed and emulsifier concentration. Enlargement of PCL microsphere size had an adverse effect on release of PBZ from the alginate device. The growth of oatmeal plants as a model system was affected by the controlled release of PBZ. The preliminary field experiment observed growth retardation during two consecutive rainy seasons, with results indicating a substantial benefit of the sustained growth inhibition through the controlled release formulation. The final product has the potential to be used as a carrier for different substances in the agrochemical industry.

Circadian Effects of Drug Responses

Circadian rhythms describe physiological systems that repeat themselves with a cycle of approximately 24 h. Our understanding of the cellular and molecular origins of these oscillations has improved dramatically, allowing us to appreciate the significant role these oscillations play in maintaining physiological homeostasis. Circadian rhythms allow living organisms to predict and efficiently respond to a dynamically changing environment, set by repetitive day/night cycles. Since circadian rhythms underlie almost every aspect of human physiology, it is unsurprising that they also influence the response of a living organism to disease, stress, and therapeutics. Therefore, not only do the mechanisms that maintain health and disrupt homeostasis depend on our internal circadian clock, but also the way drugs are perceived and function depends on these physiological rhythms. We present a holistic view of the therapeutic process, discussing components such as disease state, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics, as well as adverse reactions that are critically affected by circadian rhythms. We outline challenges and opportunities in moving toward personalized medicine approaches that explore and capitalize on circadian rhythms for the benefit of the patient.

Pulsatile Chemotherapeutic Delivery Profiles Using Magnetically Responsive Hydrogels

Pulsatile chemotherapeutic delivery profiles may provide a number advantages by maximizing the anticancer toxicity of chemotherapeutics, reducing off-target side effects, and combating adaptive resistance. While these temporally dynamic deliveries have shown some promise, they have yet to be clinically deployed from implantable hydrogels, whose localized deliveries could further enhance therapeutic outcomes. Here, several pulsatile chemotherapeutic delivery profiles were tested on melanoma cell survival in vitro and compared to constant (flatline) delivery profiles of the same integrated dose. Results indicated that pulsatile delivery profiles were more efficient at killing melanoma cells than flatline deliveries. Furthermore, results suggested that parameters like the duration of drug “on” periods (pulse width), delivery rates during those periods (pulse heights), and the number/frequency of pulses could be used to optimize delivery profiles. Optimization of pulsatile profiles at tumor sites in vivo would require hydrogel materials capable of producing a wide variety of pulsatile profiles (e.g., of different pulse heights, pulse widths, and pulse numbers). This work goes on to demonstrate that magnetically responsive, biphasic ferrogels are capable of producing pulsatile mitoxantrone delivery profiles similar to those tested in vitro. Pulse parameters such as the timing and rate of delivery during “on” periods could be remotely regulated through the use of simple, hand-held magnets. The timing of pulses was controlled simply by deciding when and for how long to magnetically stimulate. The rate of release during pulse “on” periods was a function of the magnetic stimulation frequency. These findings add to the growing evidence that pulsatile chemotherapeutic delivery profiles may be therapeutically beneficial and suggest that magnetically responsive hydrogels could provide useful tools for optimizing and clinically deploying pulsatile chemotherapeutic delivery profiles.

Improved magnetic regulation of delivery profiles from ferrogels

While providing the ability to magnetically enhance delivery rates, ferrogels have not been able to produce the various types of regulated delivery profiles likely needed to direct complex biological processes. For example, magnetically triggered release after prolonged periods of payload retention have not been demonstrated and little has been accomplished towards remotely controlling release rate through alterations in the magnetic signal. Also, strategies do not exist for magnetically coordinating multi-drug sequences. The purpose of this study was to develop these capabilities through improved ferrogel design and investigating how alterations in the magnetic signal impact release characteristics. Results show that delivery rate can be remotely regulated using the frequency of magnetic stimulation. When using an optimized biphasic ferrogel design, stimulation at optimized frequencies enabled magnetically triggered deliveries after a delay of 5 days that were 690- to 1950-fold higher than unstimulated baseline values. Also, a sequence of two payloads was produced by allowing one payload to initially diffuse out of the ferrogel, followed by magnetically triggered release of a different payload on day 5. Finally, it was demonstrated that two payloads could be sequentially triggered for release by first stimulating at a frequency tuned to preferentially release one payload (after 24 h), followed by stimulation at a different frequency tuned to preferentially release the other payload (After 4 days). The strategies developed here may expand the utility of ferrogels in clinical scenarios where the timing and sequence of biological events can be tuned to optimize therapeutic outcome.

pH responsive cross-linked polymeric matrices based on natural polymers: effect of process variables on swelling characterization and drug delivery properties

Introduction: The current work was aimed to design and synthesize novel crosslinked pH-sensitive gelatin/pectin (Ge/Pec) hydrogels using different polymeric ratios and to explore the effect of polymers and degree of crosslinking on dynamic, equilibrium swelling and in vitro release behavior of the model drug (Mannitol). Methods: The Ge/Pec based hydrogels were prepared using glutaraldehyde as the crosslinker. Various structural parameters that affect their release behavior were determined, including swelling study, porosity, sol-gel analysis, average molecular weight between crosslinks (Mc), volume fraction of polymer (V2,s), solvent interaction parameter (χ) and diffusion coefficient. The synthesized hydrogels were subjected to various characterization tools like Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and DSC differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: The hydrogels show highest water uptake and release at lower pH values. The FTIR spectra showed an interaction between Ge and Pec, and the drug-loaded samples also showed the drug-related peaks, indicating proper loading of the drug. DSC and TGA studies confirmed the thermal stability of hydrogel samples, while SEM showed the porous nature of hydrogels. The drug release followed non-Fickian diffusion or anomalous mechanism. Conclusion: Aforementioned characterizations reveal the successful formation of copolymer hydrogels. The pH-sensitive swelling ability and drug release behavior suggest that the rate of polymer chain relaxation and drug diffusion from these hydrogels are comparable which also predicts their possible use for site-specific drug delivery.

Photosensitive microgels containing azobenzene surfactants of different charges

We report on light sensitive microgel particles that can change their volume reversibly in response to illumination with light of different wavelengths.

Overcoming T. gondii infection and intracellular protein nanocapsules as biomaterials for ultrasonically controlled drug release

One of the pivotal matters of concern in intracellular drug delivery is the preparation of biomaterials containing drugs that are compatible with the host target.

Synthesis and multi-responsiveness of poly(N-vinylcaprolactam-co-acrylic acid) core–shell microgels via miniemulsion polymerization

We report herein a facile and large fabrication of multi-responsive poly(N-vinylcaprolactam-co-acrylic acid) microgels with a core–shell structure via seed miniemulsion polymerization. The multi-responsive microgels can reversibly swell and shrink in response to pH and temperature variation.

Sequential release of nanoparticle payloads from ultrasonically burstable capsules

In many biomedical contexts ranging from chemotherapy to tissue engineering, it is beneficial to sequentially present bioactive payloads. Explicit control over the timing and dose of these presentations is highly desirable. Here, we present a capsule-based delivery system capable of rapidly releasing multiple payloads in response to ultrasonic signals. In vitro, these alginate capsules exhibited excellent payload retention for up to 1 week when unstimulated and delivered their entire payloads when ultrasonically stimulated for 10-100 s. Shorter exposures (10 s) were required to trigger delivery from capsules embedded in hydrogels placed in a tissue model and did not result in tissue heating or death of encapsulated cells. Different types of capsules were tuned to rupture in response to different ultrasonic stimuli, thus permitting the sequential, on-demand delivery of nanoparticle payloads. As a proof of concept, gold nanoparticles were decorated with bone morphogenetic protein-2 to demonstrate the potential bioactivity of nanoparticle payloads. These nanoparticles were not cytotoxic and induced an osteogenic response in mouse mesenchymal stem cells. This system may enable researchers and physicians to remotely regulate the timing, dose, and sequence of drug delivery on-demand, with a wide range of clinical applications ranging from tissue engineering to cancer treatment.

Ultrasound-triggered disruption and self-healing of reversibly cross-linked hydrogels for drug delivery and enhanced chemotherapy

Biological systems are exquisitely sensitive to the location and timing of physiologic cues and drugs. This spatiotemporal sensitivity presents opportunities for developing new therapeutic approaches. Polymer-based delivery systems are used extensively for attaining localized, sustained release of bioactive molecules. However, these devices typically are designed to achieve a constant rate of release. We hypothesized that it would be possible to create digital drug release, which could be accelerated and then switched back off, on demand, by applying ultrasound to disrupt ionically cross-linked hydrogels. We demonstrated that ultrasound does not permanently damage these materials but enables nearly digital release of small molecules, proteins, and condensed oligonucleotides. Parallel in vitro studies demonstrated that the concept of applying temporally short, high-dose "bursts" of drug exposure could be applied to enhance the toxicity of mitoxantrone toward breast cancer cells. We thus used the hydrogel system in vivo to treat xenograft tumors with mitoxantrone, and found that daily ultrasound-stimulated drug release substantially reduced tumor growth compared with sustained drug release alone. This approach of digital drug release likely will be applicable to a broad variety of polymers and bioactive molecules, and is a potentially useful tool for studying how the timing of factor delivery controls cell fate in vivo.

Controlled pesticide release from biodegradable polymers

Polymers have been widely used in agriculture for applications including controlled release of pesticides and other active ingredients. The ability to predict their delivery helps avoid environmental hazards. Macromolecular matrices used as carriers in controlled release of agricultural active agents, especially pesticides, are reviewed. The review focuses on the advantages and mechanisms of controlled release. It includes biodegradable polymers in agriculture, their manufacturing methods, and their degradation mechanisms and kinetics. The article also presents a critical account of recent release studies and considers upcoming challenges.

Biodegradable electroactive polymers for electrochemically-triggered drug delivery

We report biodegradable electroactive polymer (EAP)-based materials and their application as drug delivery devices.

pH-responsive hydrogel cubes for release of doxorubicin in cancer cells

Doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded poly(methacrylic acid) hydrogel cubes release the drug at pH <5. These hydrogels are developed for shape-directed cellular uptake for drug delivery.

25th anniversary article: Engineering hydrogels for biofabrication

With advances in tissue engineering, the possibility of regenerating injured tissue or failing organs has become a realistic prospect for the first time in medical history. Tissue engineering - the combination of bioactive materials with cells to generate engineered constructs that functionally replace lost and/or damaged tissue - is a major strategy to achieve this goal. One facet of tissue engineering is biofabrication, where three-dimensional tissue-like structures composed of biomaterials and cells in a single manufacturing procedure are generated. Cell-laden hydrogels are commonly used in biofabrication and are termed "bioinks". Hydrogels are particularly attractive for biofabrication as they recapitulate several features of the natural extracellular matrix and allow cell encapsulation in a highly hydrated mechanically supportive three-dimensional environment. Additionally, they allow for efficient and homogeneous cell seeding, can provide biologically-relevant chemical and physical signals, and can be formed in various shapes and biomechanical characteristics. However, despite the progress made in modifying hydrogels for enhanced bioactivation, cell survival and tissue formation, little attention has so far been paid to optimize hydrogels for the physico-chemical demands of the biofabrication process. The resulting lack of hydrogel bioinks have been identified as one major hurdle for a more rapid progress of the field. In this review we summarize and focus on the deposition process, the parameters and demands of hydrogels in biofabrication, with special attention to robotic dispensing as an approach that generates constructs of clinically relevant dimensions. We aim to highlight this current lack of effectual hydrogels within biofabrication and initiate new ideas and developments in the design and tailoring of hydrogels. The successful development of a "printable" hydrogel that supports cell adhesion, migration, and differentiation will significantly advance this exciting and promising approach for tissue engineering.

Novel dual-control poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-chlorophyllin) nanogels for improving drug release

AIM

How to overcome insufficient drug release is an important issue in the drug-delivery system.

MATERIALS & METHODS

Here, a novel temperature and UV dual-control poly(N-isopropylacrylamide [PNIPAM]-co-chlorophyllin) nanogel was prepared via the surfactant-free emulsion polymerization.

RESULTS

The introduction of hydrophilic chlorophyllin to the PNIPAM chain backbone led to a narrow size of poly[NIPAM-co-CHLN nanogel (D ∼180 nm) confirmed by atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. This nanogel had a lower critical solution temperature (∼35°C), observed by dynamic laser light scattering. After the phase transition, the size under UV light (50 nm) was much smaller than that induced by temperature (90 nm). The inhomogeneous collapse was attributed to the temperature-gradient generated from the gel surface to the core with a surrounding dense PNIPAM layer. The obstacles that strongly inhibited 5-fluorouracil release was successfully overcome by light irradiation via a large drug diffusion coefficient.

CONCLUSION

Consequently, the novel dual functional nanogel is potent for improving the drug-release profile.

Enzymatically degradable nanogels by inverse miniemulsion copolymerization of acrylamide with dextran methacrylates as crosslinkers

Polyacrylamide nanogels crosslinked with dextran methacrylate were prepared by free radical copolymerization in inverse miniemulsion and their degradation by enzymatic cleavage of the polysaccharide chains was investigated.

MECHANICS, BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE AND THE CHALLENGES OF METAMECHANICS: A PERSONAL REFLECTION

A brief retrospective of the evolution of mechanics and its reciprocal impacts on medicine and biology is offered, from the limited viewpoint of an early contributor to some aspects of biomechanics. The development of the field after World War II, and particularly in the nineteen sixties and seventies, set the foundation for today's remarkable achievements. Looking ahead, the expanding complexity and challenges of the interaction of mechanics with biology and medicine, together with the loss of centrality of the mechanistic view in the physical sciences, compel a reexamination of the role, potential and limits of mechanics in this context. Future advances call for a broader metamechanics conception encompassing forces, energies, fields, information, network and systems theory, as well as for models spanning the range of scales from atom and molecule to cell, organ and organism.

Synthesis and properties of a novel anisotropic self-inflating hydrogel tissue expander

The advent of self-inflating hydrogel tissue expanders heralded a significant advance in the reconstructive techniques available for the surgical restoration of a wide variety of soft tissue defects. However, their use in specific applications such as cleft palate surgery is limited on account of their isotropic expansion. An anisotropic self-inflating hydrogel tissue expander has been developed which markedly increases the potential indications for which this restorative tool may be employed. These include complex pediatric soft tissue reconstructions of the palate, nose, ear and digits. Anisotropic expansion in a hydrogel polymer network composed of methyl methacrylate and vinylpyrrolidone has been achieved by annealing the xerogel under a compressive load for a specified time period. By controlling the anisotropic processing conditions and composition we have been able to accurately tailor the ultimate expansion ratio up to 1500%. The expansion rate of the xerogel has also been significantly reduced by encapsulating the polymer within a semi-permeable silicone membrane. The structure and properties of the novel anisotropic hydrogel were characterized by attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis and small-angle neutron scattering.

Time controlled release of arabinofuranosylcytosine (Ara-C) from agarose hydrogels using layer-by-layer assembly: an in vitro study

Experimentally induced axonal regeneration is compromised by glial scar formation arising from leptomeningeal fibroblasts cells in and around the hydrogel scaffold implanted for nerve repair. Strategies are needed to prevent such fibroblastic reactive cell layer formation for enhanced axonal regeneration. Here, we implement the technique of layer-by-layer assembled degradable, hydrogen bonded multilayers on agarose hydrogels to incorporate an anti-mitotic drug (1-β-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (Ara-C)) within the agarose hydrogels. We show controlled release of Ara-C under physiological conditions over a period of days. The concentrations of Ara-C released from agarose at the different time points were sufficient to inhibit fibroblast growth in vitro, while not adversely affecting the viability of the neuronal cells.

Chronopharmaceutical drug delivery systems: Hurdles, hype or hope?

The current advances in chronobiology and the knowledge gained from chronotherapy of selected diseases strongly suggest that "the one size fits all at all times" approach to drug delivery is no longer substantiated, at least for selected bioactive agents and disease therapy or prevention. Thus, there is a critical and urgent need for chronopharmaceutical research (e.g., design and evaluation of robust, spatially and temporally controlled drug delivery systems that would be clinically intended for chronotherapy by different routes of administration). This review provides a brief overview of current drug delivery system intended for chronotherapy. In theory, such an ideal "magic pill" preferably with affordable cost, would improve the safety, efficacy and patient compliance of old and new drugs. However, currently, there are three major hurdles for the successful transition of such system from laboratory to patient bedside. These include the challenges to identify adequate (i) rhythmic biomaterials and systems, (ii) rhythm engineering and modeling, perhaps using system biology and (iii) regulatory guidance.

Synthesis of stimuli-responsive microgels for in vitro release of diclofenac diethyl ammonium

Thermal and dual stimuli-responsive microspheres (pH and temperature) were prepared by free radical polymerization of methacrylate bovine serum albumin (BSA-MA) as cross-linker and sodium methacrylate (NaMA) and/or N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm), as hydrophilic/pH-sensitive and thermo-responsive monomers, respectively. Microgels were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, morphological analysis, particle size distribution and determination of swelling properties. The network density and the shape of the microgels were found to depend on the concentration of the reactive species in the polymerization feed. Thermal analyses were performed to determine lower critical solution temperature values, which become close to the body temperature by increasing the content of the hydrophilic moieties in the network. In order to test the preformed materials as drug carriers, in vitro release studies of Diclofenac diethyl ammonium salt were performed. For all the co-polymers, a predominant drug release in the collapsed state was observed, while below the microgel transition temperature, a drug release through the swollen network occurs. The data recorded during the release tests demonstrated that the pH of the surrounding environment influences the drug release more than the temperature of the imbibing medium.

Negative thermo-responsive microspheres based on hydrolyzed gelatin as drug delivery device

This paper deals with the synthesis of thermo-responsive microspheres with proteic structure exhibiting a transition temperature close to the body temperature. Temperature-sensitive hydrogels have attracted extensive interest due to their potential and promising applications in drug delivery field since they can undergo a rapid and reversible phase transition from a swollen to a shrunken state depending on environmental temperature. The hydrogels were synthesized by free-radical polymerization of hydrolyzed methacrylated gelatin (HGel-MA) and N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide as pro-hydrophilic multifunctional macromer and crosslinker, respectively, and N-isopropylacrylamide as thermo-responsive monomer. Thermal analyses showed negative thermo-responsive behavior for all compositions and, by increasing the content of the hydrophilic moieties in the network, the transition temperature raised to 36.9 degrees C, close to the physiological values. In order to test the materials as drug carriers, diclofenac sodium salt was chosen as model drug. Drug release profiles, in phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.0, 10(-3) M) at 25 and 40 degrees C, depend on the hydrogel's crosslinking degree and hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance in the polymeric network. For all formulations, in the shrunken state, the drug release percent values ranged from 80% to 100% after 24 h, and after 3 h, more than 60% of therapeutics was delivered. On the contrary, the swelling of the loaded microparticles produces, even after 30 h, a drug release percent of about 75%. By using semi-empirical equations, the release mechanism was extensively studied and the diffusional contribute was evaluated. The physico-chemical characteristics of thermo-responsive materials confirm the applicability of the microspheres as drug delivery device.

Biological cell detachment from poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) and its applications

Over the past two decades, poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (pNIPAM) has become widely used for bioengineering applications. In particular, pNIPAM substrates have been used for the nondestructive release of biological cells and proteins. In this feature article, we review the applications for which pNIPAM substrates have been used to release biological cells, including for the study of the extracellular matrix (ECM), for cell sheet engineering and tissue transplantation, the formation of tumorlike spheroids, the study of bioadhesion and bioadsorption, and the manipulation or deformation of individual cells. The articles reviewed include submissions from our own group as well as from those performing research in the field worldwide.

In vitro differentiation of chondrogenic ATDC5 cells is enhanced by culturing on synthetic hydrogels with various charge densities

We investigated the behavior of chondrogenic ATDC5 cells on synthetic polymer gels with various charge densities: negatively charged poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid) (PAMPS) gel, neutral poly(dimethylacrylamide) (PDMAAm) gel, and copolymer gels of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid and dimethylacrylamide P(AMPS-co-DMAAm) with different compositions (molar fractions of AMPS, F=0.25, 0.5, 0.75). In insulin-free maintenance medium, the ATDC5 cells cultured on the highly negatively charged gels - PAMPS gel and the P(AMPS-co-DMAAm) copolymer gels (F=0.75) - spread and became confluent at day 7, and interestingly formed nodules at day 14, expressing type II collagen and proteoglycan. This result demonstrates that the highly negatively charged gels can induce chondrogenic differentiation of ATDC5 cells even in insulin-free maintenance medium, in which the ATDC5 cells cultured on the standard polystyrene dish cannot differentiate into chondrocytes. In insulin-supplemented differentiation medium, ATDC5 cells cultured on the PDMAAm gel made focal adhesions, rapidly aggregated and formed large nodules within 7 days, expressing significantly greater levels of type II collagen and proteoglycan than cells cultured on the polystyrene dish and the negatively charged gels. These results showed that the neutral gel accelerated chondrogenic differentiation of ATDC5 cells cultured in the differentiation medium. We suggest that the highly negatively charged PAMPS gel and the neutral PDMAAm gel are interesting biomaterials for cartilage tissue engineering as a scaffold with the potential to induce chondrogenic differentiation.

Time Controlled Protein Release from Layer-by-Layer Assembled Multilayer Functionalized Agarose Hydrogels

Axons of the adult central nervous system exhibit an extremely limited ability to regenerate after spinal cord injury. Experimentally generated patterns of axon growth are typically disorganized and randomly oriented. Support of linear axonal growth into spinal cord lesion sites has been demonstrated using arrays of uniaxial channels, templated with agarose hydrogel, and containing genetically engineered cells that secrete brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). However, immobilizing neurotrophic factors secreting cells within a scaffold is relatively cumbersome, and alternative strategies are needed to provide sustained release of BDNF from templated agarose scaffolds. Existing methods of loading the drug or protein into hydrogels cannot provide sustained release from templated agarose hydrogels. Alternatively, here it is shown that pH-responsive H-bonded poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG)/poly(acrylic acid)(PAA)/protein hybrid layer-by-layer (LbL) thin films, when prepared over agarose, provided sustained release of protein under physiological conditions for more than four weeks. Lysozyme, a protein similar in size and isoelectric point to BDNF, is released from the multilayers on the agarose and is biologically active during the earlier time points, with decreasing activity at later time points. This is the first demonstration of month-long sustained protein release from an agarose hydrogel, whereby the drug/protein is loaded separately from the agarose hydrogel fabrication process.

Hard and soft micro- and nanofabrication: An integrated approach to hydrogel-based biosensing and drug delivery

We review efforts to produce microfabricated glucose sensors and closed-loop insulin delivery systems. These devices function due to the swelling and shrinking of glucose-sensitive microgels that are incorporated into silicon-based microdevices. The glucose response of the hydrogel is due to incorporated phenylboronic acid (PBA) side chains. It is shown that in the presence of glucose, these polymers alter their swelling properties, either by ionization or by formation of glucose-mediated reversible crosslinks. Swelling pressures impinge on microdevice structures, leading either to a change in resonant frequency of a microcircuit, or valving action. Potential areas for future development and improvement are described. Finally, an asymmetric nano-microporous membrane, which may be integrated with the glucose-sensitive devices, is described. This membrane, formed using photolithography and block polymer assembly techniques, can be functionalized to enhance its biocompatibility and solute size selectivity. The work described here features the interplay of design considerations at the supramolecular, nano, and micro scales.