During recent years, IPECs based on star-shaped (co)polymers with nucleic
acids (also referred to as polyplexes) have attracted considerable attention in the
context of nonviral gene delivery [51–56]. In particular, polyplexes of star-shaped
PDMAEMA, having three and five arms, with DNA were shown to combine
acceptable transfection efficiency with lower cytotoxicity [56].
3.2 IPECs Based on Star-Like Micelles of Diblock Copolymers
Ionic amphiphilic diblock copolymers are well known to self-assemble into
core–corona aggregates (micelles) in aqueous media. The micelle comprises a
hydrophobic core formed by nonpolar blocks and a hydrophilic corona built up
from polyelectrolyte blocks. The properties of such macromolecular selfassemblies are reviewed in detail elsewhere [57, 58]. In many cases, the micelles
are characterized by a spherical morphology. When the radius of the hydrophobic
core is considerably smaller than the thickness of the polyelectrolyte corona,
such macromolecular self-assemblies are regarded as star-like micelles (Fig. 6b).
Fig. 8 Snapshots of the typical conformations of (a) a bare (uncomplexed) polyelectrolyte star
and (b) its IPEC with the linear GPE. Reprinted with permission from [47] Copyright 2009
American Chemical Society
Advanced Functional Structures Based on Interpolyelectrolyte Complexes
191
acids (also referred to as polyplexes) have attracted considerable attention in the
context of nonviral gene delivery [51–56]. In particular, polyplexes of star-shaped
PDMAEMA, having three and five arms, with DNA were shown to combine
acceptable transfection efficiency with lower cytotoxicity [56].
3.2 IPECs Based on Star-Like Micelles of Diblock Copolymers
Ionic amphiphilic diblock copolymers are well known to self-assemble into
core–corona aggregates (micelles) in aqueous media. The micelle comprises a
hydrophobic core formed by nonpolar blocks and a hydrophilic corona built up
from polyelectrolyte blocks. The properties of such macromolecular selfassemblies are reviewed in detail elsewhere [57, 58]. In many cases, the micelles
are characterized by a spherical morphology. When the radius of the hydrophobic
core is considerably smaller than the thickness of the polyelectrolyte corona,
such macromolecular self-assemblies are regarded as star-like micelles (Fig. 6b).
Fig. 8 Snapshots of the typical conformations of (a) a bare (uncomplexed) polyelectrolyte star
and (b) its IPEC with the linear GPE. Reprinted with permission from [47] Copyright 2009
American Chemical Society
Advanced Functional Structures Based on Interpolyelectrolyte Complexes
191