Self-Assembly of Hydrogels From Elastin-Mimetic Block Copolymers

MRS Online Proceedings Library volume 724, Article number: N8.1 (2002) Cite this article

Abstract

Triblock copolymers have traditionally been synthesized with conventional organic components. However, triblock copolymers could be synthesized by the incorporation of two incompatible protein-based polymers. The polypeptides would differ in their hydrophobicity and confer unique physiochemical properties to the resultant materials. One protein-based polymer, based on a sequence of native elastin, that has been utilized in the synthesis of biomaterials is poly (Valine-Proline-Glycine-ValineGlycine) or poly(VPGVG) [1]. This polypeptide has been shown to have an inverse temperature transition that can be adjusted by non-conservative amino acid substitutions in the fourth position [2]. By combining polypeptide blocks with different inverse temperature transition values due to hydrophobicity differences, we expect to produce amphiphilic polypeptides capable of self-assembly into hydrogels. Our research examines the design, synthesis and characterization of elastin-mimetic block copolymers as functional biomaterials. The methods that are used for the characterization include variable temperature 1D and 2D High-Resolution-NMR, cryo-High Resolutions Scanning Electron Microscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetry.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

    Elizabeth R. Wright, R. Andrew McMillan & Vincent P. Conticello

  2. Chemistry Department, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

    Alan Cooper

  3. Integrated Microscopy & Microanalytical Facility, Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

    Robert P. Apkarian

Authors
  1. Elizabeth R. Wright
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  2. R. Andrew McMillan
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  3. Alan Cooper
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  4. Robert P. Apkarian
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  5. Vincent P. Conticello
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Correspondence to Elizabeth R. Wright.

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Wright, E.R., McMillan, R.A., Cooper, A. et al. Self-Assembly of Hydrogels From Elastin-Mimetic Block Copolymers. MRS Online Proceedings Library 724, N8.1 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-724-N8.1

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