Thermosensitive nanogels based on dendritic polyglycerol and N-isopropylacrylamide for biomedical applications

Abstract

In this paper we describe a methodology for the synthesis of thermoresponsive polyglycerol-based nanogels through precipitation polymerization. A systematic analysis of the preparative conditions and composition regarding the nanogel size is presented. The thermoresponsive properties of the synthesized nanogels, as well as the cytotoxicity and uptake in three different cell lines were investigated. The thermoresponsive behavior, the enhanced biocompatible profile, and the cell penetrating properties of the nanogels highlight the potential of such constructs for application as smart, environmentally-responsive materials.