PEG hydrogel degradation and the role of the surrounding tissue environment

Abstract

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based hydrogels are extensively used in a variety of biomedical applications, due to ease of synthesis and tissue-like properties. Recently there have been varied reports regarding PEG hydrogel's degradation kinetics and in vivo host response. In particular, these studies suggest that the surrounding tissue environment could play a critical role in defining the inflammatory response and degradation kinetics of PEG implants. In the present study we demonstrated a potential mechanism of PEG hydrogel degradation, and in addition we show potential evidence of the role of the surrounding tissue environment on producing variable inflammatory responses.

Keywords: degradation; hydrogel; inflammatory response; macrophages; neutrophils; poly(ethylene glycol); reactive oxygen species (ROS).