Self-assembly of poly ethylene glycol -based block copolymers for biomedical applications

Nanostructure fabrication from block copolymers is discussed in this review paper. Particularly, novel approaches for the Ž . Ž . construction of functionalized poly ethylene glycol PEG layers on surfaces were focused to attain the specific adsorption of a target protein through PEG-conjugated ligands with a minimal non-specific adsorption of other proteins. Furthermore, surface organization of block copolymer micelles with cross-linking cores was described from the standpoint of preparation of a new functional surface-coating with a unique macromolecular architecture. The micelle-attached surface and the thin hydrogel layer made by layered micelles exhibited non-fouling properties and worked as a reservoir for hydrophobic reagents. These PEG-functionalized surface in brush form or in micelle form can be used in diverse fields of medicine and biology to construct high-performance medical devices including scaffolds for tissue engineering and matrices for drug delivery systems. 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Ž . Ž .