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Key Documents

408727

Sigma-Aldrich

Polyethylenimine, branched

average Mw ~25,000 by LS, average Mn ~10,000 by GPC, branched

Synonym(s):

aziridine, homopolymer, PEI

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About This Item

Linear Formula:
H(NHCH2CH2)nNH2
CAS Number:
MDL number:
UNSPSC Code:
12162002
PubChem Substance ID:
NACRES:
NA.23

Quality Level

form

viscous liquid

mol wt

average Mn ~10,000 by GPC
average Mw ~25,000 by LS

impurities

≤1% water

refractive index

n20/D 1.5290

viscosity

13,000-18,000(50 °C)

bp

250 °C (lit.)

density

1.030 g/mL at 25 °C

SMILES string

C1CN1

InChI

1S/C2H5N/c1-2-3-1/h3H,1-2H2

InChI key

NOWKCMXCCJGMRR-UHFFFAOYSA-N

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General description

Polyethylenimine (PEI) is a hydrophilic cationic polymer widely used as a nonviral nucleotide delivery reagent. Branched PEI can be synthesized by cationic ring-opening polymerization of aziridine. PEI-based particles can also be used as adjuvants for vaccines. Owing to its excellent physicochemical properties, it is applied in many fields like the separation and purification of proteins, carbon dioxide absorption, drug carriers, effluent treatment, and biological labels.

Application

Polyethyleneimine can be used as a non-viral synthetic polymer vector for in vivo delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids. The interaction between negatively charged nucleic acids and positively charged polymer backbone results in the formation of nano-sized complexes. This neutralized complex protects the enclosed nucleic acid from enzymes and maintains its stability till the cellular uptake takes place. For example, human serum albumin conjugated PEI shows good pDNA transfection and low toxicity.

PEI can be used to functionalize single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) to improve their solubility and biocompatibility while maintaining the structural integrity of the original SWNT. Covalently functionalized SWNTs find application in CO2 absorption and gene delivery.

Branched PEI can also be used to modify the surface properties of adsorbents. PEI-modified hydrous zirconium oxide/PAN nanofibers are used for the defluorination of groundwater as they show high fluoride adsorption capacity and a wide working pH range.

Features and Benefits

Primary and secondary amine groups of PEI can efficiently bind to drugs, nucleic acids, and other functional moieties.

Branched PEI has better complexation andbuffering capacity.

Physical form

Branched polymer

Pictograms

Exclamation markEnvironment

Signal Word

Warning

Hazard Statements

Hazard Classifications

Acute Tox. 4 Oral - Aquatic Chronic 2 - Eye Irrit. 2 - Skin Sens. 1

Storage Class Code

10 - Combustible liquids

WGK

WGK 2

Personal Protective Equipment

dust mask type N95 (US), Eyeshields, Gloves

Certificates of Analysis (COA)

Search for Certificates of Analysis (COA) by entering the products Lot/Batch Number. Lot and Batch Numbers can be found on a product’s label following the words ‘Lot’ or ‘Batch’.

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Jessel, N., et al.
Polym. Mater. Sci. Eng., 90, 755-755 (2004)
Yi-Hsuan Lee et al.
Acta biomaterialia, 63, 210-226 (2017-09-14)
The development of osteochondral tissue engineering is an important issue for the treatment of traumatic injury or aging associated joint disease. However, the different compositions and mechanical properties of cartilage and subchondral bone show the complexity of this tissue interface
Wei Dong et al.
Frontiers in immunology, 9, 2312-2312 (2018-10-26)
Sequential infection with antigenically distinct influenza viruses induces cross-protective immune responses against heterologous virus strains in animal models. Here we investigated whether sequential immunization with antigenically distinct influenza vaccines can also provide cross-protection. To this end, we compared immune responses
Hsuan-Wen Chiu et al.
Oncotarget, 8(55), 94129-94141 (2017-12-08)
The betanodavirus B2 protein targets the mitochondria and acts as a "death factor", but its effect on lung cancer cells is unknown. We examined the effect of the B2 protein on triggering apoptosis or necroptosis
Baoshun Lin et al.
Medicine, 94(31), e1301-e1301 (2015-08-08)
As an immunotoxin, diphtheria toxin has been widely used in gene therapy and gene function assays for its roles in protein synthesis inhibition, and the aim of our study is to set up a nonintegrating lentiviral system for specific expression

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