Alginate

Alginates are a group of linear polysaccharides composed of β-D-mannuronate (M) and its C-5 epimer α-L-guluronate (G) units that are covalently bonded in various sequences or blocks. These polysaccharides can be extracted from numerous species of brown seaweeds found in nature. Our purified alginate appears white to off white with a molecular weight of 20-80 kDa.

Alginate, Purified is an anionic polysaccharide designed for using in R&D applications in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications due to its non-animal origin, low toxicity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. This low endotoxin version of alginate methacrylate is specifically designed for biomedical use. Alginate hydrogels are commonly employed to create tissue engineering scaffolds, bioinks for 3D bioprinting, and nanocarriers for drug and gene delivery. While alginate is typically crosslinked into a hydrogel via ionic crosslinking with divalent cations (e.g., Ca²⁺), these gels often exhibit limited long-term stability due to exchange reactions and the migration of cations from the alginate matrix. To enhance matrix stability, alginate can be functionalized with reactive groups for chemical crosslinking, such as methacrylates. Methacrylate-functionalized alginate allows for the preparation of hydrogels through thermal or photochemical crosslinking of the terminal methacrylates. The properties of the resulting hydrogels, including stiffness, swelling ratio, and degradation rate, can be tailored by adjusting the alginate molecular weight, degree of methacrylate functionalization, and crosslink density.

This specific molecular weight range (20-80 kDa) provides optimal viscosity and gel strength, allowing for tailored applications in tissue engineering, drug delivery, and bioprinting, enhancing performance and efficacy in these fields.