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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2009 Jul 1.
Published in final edited form as: Biomacromolecules. 2008 Jun 20;9(7):2063–2071. doi: 10.1021/bm800291v

Scheme 1.

Scheme 1

Schematic illustration of a ‘charge-shifting’ cationic polymer (polymer 1). Top: Gradual hydrolysis of ester-functionalized side-chains introduces carboxylate functionality and reduces the net charge of the polymer. Relative changes in net charge shown here are exemplary and are provided for illustrative purposes only (see text). Bottom: Polymer 1 can self-assemble with DNA to form nanometer-scale ‘polyplexes’. Time-dependent changes in the net charge of polymer 1 result in changes in the nature of the ionic interactions in polyplexes and promote polyplex disassembly and/or the release of DNA.