Thiolated polymeric hydrogels for biomedical application: Cross-linking mechanisms

This review focuses on the synthesis of hydrogel networks using thiomers such as thiolated hyaluronic acid, chitosan, cyclodextrin, poly(ethylene glycol) and dextran that are cross-linked via their thiol substructures. Thiomers have been widely investigated as matrix of hydrogels due to the high reactivity of these sulfhydryl moieties. They are well known for their in situ gelling properties due to the formation of inter- and intra-chain...