A Supramolecular Hydrogel Based on Polyglycerol Dendrimer-Specific Amino Group Recognition

Dendrimer-based supramolecular hydrogels have gained attention in biomedical fields. While biocompatible dendrimers were used to prepare hydrogels via physical and/or chemical crosslinking, smart functions such as pH and molecular control remain undeveloped. Here, we present polyglycerol dendrimer-based supramolecular hydrogel formation induced by a specific interaction between the polyglycerol dendrimer and an amino group of glycol chitosan. Gelation was achieved by mixing the two aqueous solutions. Hydrogel formation was controlled by varying the polyglycerol dendrimer generation. The hydrogel showed pH-dependent swelling; strongly acidic conditions induced degradation via dissociation of the specific interaction. It also showed unique l-arginine-responsive degradation capability due to competitive exchange of the amino groups of glycol chitosan and l-arginine. These polyglycerol dendrimer-based supramolecular characteristics allow multimodal application in smart biomaterials.