Polyethylene glycols: An effective strategy for limiting liver ischemia reperfusion injury

Figure 1 Schematic composition of linear, branched and star polyethylene glycols. Polyethylene glycols (PEGs) are synthesized by a process of linking repeating units of ethylene glycol. The reaction gives products with one or two end chain hydroxyl groups termed methoxy-PEG or diol-PEG, respectively. Then, the linear PEG with branches at irregular intervals along the polymer chain forms branched PEGs. Star-shaped PEGs are the simplest class of branched PEGs with a general structure consisting of several (more than three) linear chains connected to a central core.