What is PAMAM dendrimer?

PAMAM dendrimers are a family of highly branched and mono-disperse synthetic macromolecules with well-defined structures and compositions. Synthesis of these nanocarriers can be carried out through the divergent route.

What is polyaminoamide?

Polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE), a polyelectrolyte typically used as wet-strength agent, is commonly used in filter papers and paper towels, which are often used as substrate in bioactive paper. This limits paper optimization for diagnostic applications.

What is dendrimer generation?

In the different methods, dendrimer grows outward from a multifunctional core molecule. The core molecule reacts with monomer molecules containing one reactive and two dormant groups, giving the first-generation dendrimer.

What category of nanoparticle is a dendrimer?

Dendrimer-encapsulated nanoparticles (DENs) are nanoparticles ranging from 1.5 to 10 nm that are synthesized by a template approach using dendrimers. Monometallic, bimetallic and semiconductor nanoparticles have been synthesized using this method.

What is a dendrimer used for?

Dendrimers used for enhancing solubility Dendrimers have hydrophilic exteriors and interiors, which are responsible for its unimolecular micelle nature. Dendrimer-based carriers offer the opportunity to enhance the oral bioavailability of problematic drugs.

How does a dendrimer work?

Dendrimers for drug delivery are employed using two approaches: (i) formulation and (ii) nanoconstruct. In the formulation approach, drugs are physically entrapped in a dendrimer using non-covalent interactions, whereas drugs are covalently coupled on dendrimers in the nanoconstruct approach.

What does a dendrimer do?

Dendrimers can be used as dendritic boxes and unimolecular micelles (dendrimer-drug networks) for the incorporation of hydrophobic/hydrophilic molecules by host guest interactions inside their empty cavities (nanoscale containers) present around core.

How is dendrimer different from a polymer?

Dendrimers and dendrons are monodisperse and usually highly symmetric, spherical compounds. Also, it is possible to make dendrimers water-soluble, unlike most polymers, by functionalizing their outer shell with charged species or other hydrophilic groups.

What is dendrimer nanotechnology?

Dendrimers represent a class of novel polymers having unique molecular architectures characterized by their well-defined structure, with a high degree of molecular uniformity, low polydispersity and properties that make them attractive materials for the development of nanomedicines.

Is dendrimer a nanoparticle?

Introduction. Dendrimers are nano-sized, radially symmetric molecules with well-defined, homogeneous, and monodisperse structure consisting of tree-like arms or branches [1].

How are PAMAM dendrimers classified?

Each round of reactions forms a new “generation”, and PAMAM dendrimers are often classified by generation number; the common shorthand for this classification is “GX” or “GX PAMAM”, where X is a number referring to the generation number.

What is a general scheme for divergent PAMAM dendrimer synthesis?

A general scheme for the divergent synthesis of PAMAM dendrimers, with ethylene diamine as a core initiator. The scheme is color-coded by generation number, with the red ethylene diamine core serving as initiator core, orange as Generation 0 and orange/green as Generations 1, respectively.

What is a “generation” dendrimer?

Dendrimers are “grown” off a central core in an iterative manufacturing process, with each subsequent step representing a new “generation” of dendrimer. Increasing generations (molecular weight) produce larger molecular diameters, twice the number of reactive surface sites, and approximately double the molecular weight of the preceding generation.

How does molecular weight affect the shape of PAMAM dendrimers?

Increasing generations (molecular weight) produce larger molecular diameters, twice the number of reactive surface sites, and approximately double the molecular weight of the preceding generation. PAMAM dendrimers also assume a spheroidal, globular shape at Generation 4 and above (see molecular simulation below).