Functionalized zwitterionic and mixed charge polymers, related hydrogels, and methods for their use

1. A hydrogel, comprising a first polymer covalently coupled to a second polymer,

wherein the first polymer comprises a first core having two or more polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the first core, wherein the polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the first core comprise first constitutional units selected from the group consisting of zwitterionic constitutional units and mixed charge constitutional units, and wherein the two or more polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the first core each comprise one or more first functional groups effective for covalently coupling the first polymer to the second polymer,

wherein the second polymer comprises a second core having two or more polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the second core, wherein the polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the second core comprise second constitutional units selected from the group consisting of zwitterionic constitutional units and mixed charge constitutional units, and wherein the two or more polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the second core each comprise one or more second functional groups effective for covalently coupling the second polymer to the first polymer;

wherein the hydrogel comprises covalent bonds linking the first polymer and the second polymer formed by reaction of the one or more first functional groups and the one or more second functional groups; and

wherein the one or more first functional groups and the one or more second functional groups are selected from an azide and an alkyne, an azide and an alkene, a thiol and a maleimide, or a thiol and a disulfide.

2. A hydrogel, comprising a first polymer covalently coupled to a second polymer,

wherein the first polymer comprises a first core having two or more polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the first core, wherein the polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the first core comprise first constitutional units selected from the group consisting of zwitterionic constitutional units and mixed charge constitutional units, and wherein the two or more polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the first core each comprise one or more first functional groups effective for covalently coupling the first polymer to the second polymer,

wherein the second polymer comprises a second core having two or more polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the second core, wherein the polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the second core comprise second constitutional units selected from the group consisting of zwitterionic constitutional units and mixed charge constitutional units, and wherein the two or more polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the second core each comprise one or more second functional groups effective for covalently coupling the second polymer to the first polymer;

wherein the hydrogel comprises covalent bonds linking the first polymer and the second polymer via a crosslinking agent having two or more third functional groups, wherein the covalent bonds linking the first and second polymers are formed by reaction of the one or more first functional groups and the two or more third functional groups and the one or more second functional groups and the two or more third functional groups, and wherein the one or more first functional groups and the one or more second functional groups are independently selected from an azide, alkyne, alkene, thiol, maleimide, or disulfide.

3. The hydrogel of claim 2 , wherein the one or more first functional group is a thiol, the one or more second functional group is a thiol, and the two or more third functional groups are a thiol or a disulfide.

4. The hydrogel of claim 2 , wherein the one or more first functional groups and two or more third functional groups are selected from an azide and an alkyne, an azide and an alkene, a thiol and a maleimide, or a thiol and a disulfide.

5. The hydrogel of claim 2 , wherein the one or more second functional groups and two or more third functional groups are selected from an azide and an alkyne, an azide and an alkene, a thiol and a maleimide, or a thiol and a disulfide.

6. The hydrogel of claim 1 , wherein the first constitutional units are zwitterionic constitutional units.

7. The hydrogel of claim 1 , wherein the first constitutional units are mixed charge constitutional units.

8. The hydrogel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first functional groups are positioned at the terminus of the polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the first core.

9. The hydrogel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first functional groups are positioned along the backbone of the polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the first core.

10. The hydrogel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more of the first constitutional units comprise the one or more first functional groups.

11. The hydrogel claim 1 , wherein the second constitutional units are zwitterionic constitutional units.

12. The hydrogel of claim 1 , wherein the second constitutional units are mixed charge constitutional units.

13. The hydrogel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more second functional groups are positioned at the terminus of the polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the second core.

14. The hydrogel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more second functional groups are positioned along the backbone of the polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the second core.

15. The hydrogel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more of the second constitutional units comprise the one or more second functional groups.

16. The hydrogel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first functional groups and the one or more second functional groups are the same.

17. The hydrogel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first functional groups and the one or more second functional groups are different.

18. The hydrogel of claim 1 further comprising cells, viruses, bacteria, or components thereof, or genetically altered variants thereof.

19. The hydrogel of claim 18 , wherein the cells are exocrine secretory epithelial cells, hormone secreting cells, keratinizing epithelial cells, wet stratified barrier epithelial cells, sensory transducer cells, autonomic neuron cells, sense organ cells, peripheral neuron supporting cells, neurons, glial cells, lens cells, hepatocytes, adipocytes, lipocytes, barrier function cells, kidney cells, heart cells, extracellular matrix cells, contractile cells, blood cells, immune system cells, erythrocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, mast cells, T cells, stem cells, germ cells, nurse cells, interstitial cells, progenitor cells, or hematopoietic stem cells.

20. The hydrogel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first functional group is a thiol and the one or more second functional group is a thiol, maleimide, or disulfide.

21. The hydrogel of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first functional group is an azide and the one or more second functional group an alkyne or an alkene.

22. The hydrogel claim 2 , wherein the first constitutional units are zwitterionic constitutional units.

23. The hydrogel of claim 2 , wherein the first constitutional units are mixed charge constitutional units.

24. The hydrogel of claim 2 , wherein the one or more first functional groups are positioned at the terminus of the polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the first core.

25. The hydrogel of claim 2 , wherein the one or more first functional groups are positioned along the backbone of the polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the first core.

26. The hydrogel of claim 2 , wherein one or more of the first constitutional units comprise the one or more first functional groups.

27. The hydrogel of claim 2 , wherein the second constitutional units are zwitterionic constitutional units.

28. The hydrogel of claim 2 , wherein the second constitutional units are mixed charge constitutional units.

29. The hydrogel of claim 2 , wherein the one or more second functional groups are positioned at the terminus of the polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the first core.

30. The hydrogel of claim 2 , wherein the one or more second functional groups are positioned along the backbone of the polymeric branches covalently coupled to and extending from the first core.

31. The hydrogel of claim 2 , wherein the one or more of the second constitutional units comprise the one or more second functional groups.

32. The hydrogel of claim 2 , wherein the one or more first and the one or more second functional groups are the same.

33. The hydrogel of claim 2 , wherein the one or more first and the one or more second functional groups are different.

34. The hydrogel of claim 2 , further comprising cells, viruses, bacteria, or components thereof, or genetically altered variants thereof.

35. The hydrogel of claim 34 , wherein the cells are exocrine secretory epithelial cells, hormone secreting cells, keratinizing epithelial cells, wet stratified barrier epithelial cells, sensory transducer cells, autonomic neuron cells, sense organ cells, peripheral neuron supporting cells, neurons, glial cells, lens cells, hepatocytes, adipocytes, lipocytes, barrier function cells, kidney cells, heart cells, extracellular matrix cells, contractile cells, blood cells, immune system cells erythrocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, mast cells, T cells, stem cells, germ cells, nurse cells, interstitial cells, progenitor cells, or hematopoietic stem cells.