Synthesis and characterization of a d-glucose sensitive hydrogel based on CM-dextran and concanavalin A

The effects of varying pH and ionic strength show that ion exchange effects also influence diffusion rates. However, an advantage of the synthetic route described is that the intrinsic charge density of the hydrogels produced can be tailored to the specific interaction by varying the degree of carboxylic substitution on the original dextran. The ease of preparation and control of final gel properties allowed by this approach offers possibilities for a range of biotechnological applications including drug delivery and biosensors.