Dextran-Based Hydrogel Development Services

Dextran, a glucose-based natural polysaccharide has reactive hydroxyl groups for providing hydrophilicity as well as the ability to be engineered, modified, or functionalized for biomedical and nanomedicine applications. Matexcel can leverage our emerging technologies and extensive experience in hydrogel design and development to help our customers overcome the challenges in dextran-based hydrogel production to meet the growing demand for dextran-based hydrogels in the biotechnology and biomedical fields. We are looking forward to working with our customers to develop more time- and cost-efficient methods for dextran-based hydrogel and strive to enhance the functional properties and stability of dextran-based hydrogel.

Introduction to Dextran-Based Hydrogel

Dextran consists predominantly of linear α-1,6 linked D-glucopyranose residues and is a non-ionic bacterial homopolysaccharide. Dextran possesses several advantages such as good swelling properties, high hydrophilicity, biodegradability, and biocompatibility, and is very stable over a wide pH range. In addition, dextran has a high density of hydroxyl groups, which allows for many types of derivatization and cross-linking reactions thus making it very easy to modify. Based on these advantages, dextran has long been used in the preparation of hydrogels for biotechnological and biomedical applications. The methods used to prepare dextran-based hydrogels include repeated freeze-thaw, chemical cross-linking, graft modification, free radical polymerization, etc. The appropriate technique for hydrogel preparation is usually based on the needs of downstream applications.

Fig. 1 Images of freeze-drying oxidized dextran (a) and dextran hydrogel with microparticles incorporated (b). (Ribeiro MP, et al., 2013)

Applications of Dextran-Based Hydrogel

Dextran-based hydrogels have many beneficial properties that make them attractive polymeric materials for a wide range of applications such as the biotechnology and biomedical field.

• Used as a hydrogel dressing for wound healing.
• Used in 3D cell encapsulation.
• Used in targeted drug delivery and controlled release.
• Used in vascularized bone tissue engineering.
• Used for cryopreservation of cells in the absence of dimethyl sulfoxide.
• Used to prevent postoperative adhesions.
• Used for the stabilization and delivery of fibroblast GFs for tissue regulation.
• Used in the design of matrices for separation.
• Used as microcarriers for adherent cell growth.

Our Services

Matexcel has the core expertise and extensive hands-on experience in hydrogel design and development, and we are capable of helping our customers solve all the problems in the development of dextran-based hydrogels to create stable and functional dextran-based hydrogel products that meet the needs of practical applications. Our customized dextran-based hydrogel development services include but are not limited to the following:

• Hydrogel formulation design services: We customize dextran-based hydrogel designs based on our customers' needs by varying hydrogel composition, cross-linking methods, configuration dimensions, permeability, aqueous liquid swelling, diffusivity, and degradability to precisely meet customer requirements for a variety of exciting and high-growth applications.
• Hydrogel modification services: Depending on the physicochemical properties of the dextran-based hydrogels, we select appropriate methods such as chemical grafting and physical blending to modify and optimize the original properties of the hydrogel to give it new excellent properties, such as excellent biocompatibility, degradability, easily adjustable physicochemical properties and structure.
• Hydrogel analysis and characterization services: We provide a full range of analysis and characterization services in the development of dextran-based hydrogels, as well as efficacy testing services for dextran-based hydrogel samples. 

Process of Our Service

Want to Learn More?

Matexcel is committed to helping our customers overcome all difficulties in the dextran-based hydrogel research and development process. If you are interested in our services, please fill out the online inquiry form and tell us more about your project.

References

1. Ribeiro MP; et al. Dextran-based hydrogel containing chitosan microparticles loaded with growth factors to be used in wound healing. Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2013, 33(5):2958-66.
2. Cai L; et al. Dextran-based hydrogel with enhanced mechanical performance via covalent and non-covalent cross-linking units carrying adipose-derived stem cells toward vascularized bone tissue engineering. J Biomed Mater Res A. 2019, 107(6):1120-1131.