Editing Polyethylene glycol (section)

===Biological uses===
*An example study was done using PEG-diacrylate hydrogels to recreate vascular environments with the encapsulation of [[Endothelium|endothelial]] cells and [[macrophage]]s. This model furthered vascular disease modeling and isolated macrophage phenotype's effect on blood vessels.<ref>{{Cite journal| vauthors = Moore EM, Ying G, West JL |date=March 2017|title=Macrophages Influence Vessel Formation in 3D Bioactive Hydrogels|journal=Advanced Biosystems |language=en |volume=1|issue=3|pages=1600021|doi=10.1002/adbi.201600021|s2cid=102369711|doi-access=free}}</ref> 
*PEG is commonly used as a crowding agent in ''in vitro'' assays to mimic highly crowded cellular conditions.<ref name="Ganji-2016">{{cite journal | vauthors = Ganji M, Docter M, Le Grice SF, Abbondanzieri EA | title = DNA binding proteins explore multiple local configurations during docking via rapid rebinding | journal = Nucleic Acids Research | volume = 44 | issue = 17 | pages = 8376–8384 | date = September 2016 | pmid = 27471033 | pmc = 5041478 | doi = 10.1093/nar/gkw666 }}</ref> Although polyethylene glycol is considered biologically inert, it can form [[Non-covalent interaction|non-covalent]] complexes with monovalent [[cations]] such as [[Na⁺|Na<sup>+</sup>]], [[Potassium|K<sup>+</sup>]], Rb<sup>+</sup>, and Cs<sup>+</sup>, affecting [[Equilibrium constant|equilibrium constants]] of biochemical reactions.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Bielec K, Kowalski A, Bubak G, Witkowska Nery E, Hołyst R | title = Ion Complexation Explains Orders of Magnitude Changes in the Equilibrium Constant of Biochemical Reactions in Buffers Crowded by Nonionic Compounds | journal = The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters | volume = 13 | issue = 1 | pages = 112–117 | date = January 2022 | pmid = 34962392 | pmc = 8762655 | doi = 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c03596 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | vauthors = Breton MF, Discala F, Bacri L, Foster D, Pelta J, Oukhaled A |date=2013-07-03 |title=Exploration of Neutral Versus Polyelectrolyte Behavior of Poly(ethylene glycol)s in Alkali Ion Solutions using Single-Nanopore Recording |journal=The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters |language=en |volume=4 |issue=13 |pages=2202–2208 |doi=10.1021/jz400938q |issn=1948-7185}}</ref>
* PEG is commonly used as a [[precipitant]] for plasmid DNA isolation and [[X-ray crystallography|protein crystallization]]. [[X-ray diffraction]] of protein crystals can reveal the atomic structure of the proteins.
* PEG is used to fuse two different types of cells, most often B-cells and myelomas to create [[hybridomas]]. [[César Milstein]] and [[Georges J. F. Köhler]] originated this technique, which they used for antibody production, winning a [[Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine]] in 1984.<ref name="Kean-2017"/>
* In [[microbiology]], PEG precipitation is used to concentrate viruses. PEG is also used to induce complete fusion (mixing of both inner and outer leaflets) in liposomes reconstituted ''in vitro''.
* [[Gene therapy]] vectors (such as viruses) can be PEG-coated to shield them from inactivation by the immune system and to de-target them from organs where they may build up and have a toxic effect.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Kreppel F, Kochanek S | title = Modification of adenovirus gene transfer vectors with synthetic polymers: a scientific review and technical guide | journal = Molecular Therapy | volume = 16 | issue = 1 | pages = 16–29 | date = January 2008 | pmid = 17912234 | doi = 10.1038/sj.mt.6300321 | doi-access = free }}</ref> The size of the PEG polymer is important, with larger polymers achieving the best immune protection.
* PEG is a component of [[stable nucleic acid lipid particle]]s (SNALPs) used to package [[siRNA]] for use ''in vivo''.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Rossi JJ | title = RNAi therapeutics: SNALPing siRNAs in vivo | journal = Gene Therapy | volume = 13 | issue = 7 | pages = 583–584 | date = April 2006 | pmid = 17526070 | doi = 10.1038/sj.gt.3302661 | s2cid = 7232293 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Geisbert TW, Lee AC, Robbins M, Geisbert JB, Honko AN, Sood V, Johnson JC, de Jong S, Tavakoli I, Judge A, Hensley LE, Maclachlan I | display-authors = 6 | title = Postexposure protection of non-human primates against a lethal Ebola virus challenge with RNA interference: a proof-of-concept study | journal = Lancet | volume = 375 | issue = 9729 | pages = 1896–1905 | date = May 2010 | pmid = 20511019 | pmc = 7138079 | doi = 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60357-1 }} (free with registration)</ref>
* In [[blood banking]], PEG is used as a [[potentiator]] to enhance detection of [[antigen]]s and [[antibodies]].<ref name="Kean-2017"/><ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Harmening DM | title=Modern Blood Banking & Transfusion Practices | publisher=F. A. Davis Company | year=2005 | isbn=978-0-8036-1248-8}}</ref>
* When working with [[phenol]] in a laboratory situation, [[PEG 300]] can be used on phenol skin burns to deactivate any residual phenol.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Monteiro-Riviere NA, Inman AO, Jackson H, Dunn B, Dimond S | title = Efficacy of topical phenol decontamination strategies on severity of acute phenol chemical burns and dermal absorption: in vitro and in vivo studies in pig skin | journal = Toxicology and Industrial Health | volume = 17 | issue = 4 | pages = 95–104 | date = May 2001 | pmid = 12479505 | doi = 10.1191/0748233701th095oa | bibcode = 2001ToxIH..17...95M | s2cid = 46229131 }}</ref>
* In [[biophysics]], polyethylene glycols are the molecules of choice for the functioning ion channel diameter studies, because in aqueous solutions they have a spherical shape and can block ion channel conductance.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Krasilnikov OV, Sabirov RZ, Ternovsky VI, Merzliak PG, Muratkhodjaev JN | title = A simple method for the determination of the pore radius of ion channels in planar lipid bilayer membranes | journal = FEMS Microbiology Immunology | volume = 5 | issue = 1–3 | pages = 93–100 | date = September 1992 | pmid = 1384601 | doi = 10.1016/0378-1097(92)90079-4 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Bárcena-Uribarri I, Thein M, Maier E, Bonde M, Bergström S, Benz R | title = Use of nonelectrolytes reveals the channel size and oligomeric constitution of the Borrelia burgdorferi P66 porin | journal = PLOS ONE | volume = 8 | issue = 11 | pages = e78272 | year = 2013 | pmid = 24223145 | pmc = 3819385 | doi = 10.1371/journal.pone.0078272 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 2013PLoSO...878272B }}</ref>