Recent Biomedical Applications of Functionalized Polyethylenimine Derivatives

Polyethylenimine (PEI) is a cationic polymer that can bind to negatively charged biomaterials such as nucleic acids through strong electrostatic interactions. Based on these properties, PEI has been used as an efficient drug delivery system for a long time. However, the strong cationic nature of PEI has the problem of causing cytotoxicity by non-specific interaction with anionic biological materials in the cells. In order to overcome these problems, many researchers have developed various types of biocompatible PEI-based materials. In this review, we would like to introduce the recent developments of functional PEI and their applications in biomedical research.