Multifunctional Polymeric Nanogels for Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Currently, research in nanoparticles as a drug delivery system has broadened to include their use as a delivery system for bioactive substances and a diagnostic or theranostic system. Nanogels, nanoparticles containing a high amount of water, have gained attention due to their advantages of colloidal stability, core-shell structure, and adjustable structural components. These advantages provide the potential to design and fabricate multifunctional nanosystems for various biomedical applications. Modified or functionalized polymers and some metals are components that markedly enhance the features of the nanogels, such as tunable amphiphilicity, biocompatibility, stimuli-responsiveness, or sensing moieties, leading to specificity, stability, and tracking abilities. Here, we review the diverse designs of core-shell structure nanogels along with studies on the fabrication and demonstration of the responsiveness of nanogels to different stimuli, temperature, pH, reductive environment, or radiation. Furthermore, additional biomedical applications are presented to illustrate the versatility of the nanogels.

Review targeted drug delivery systems for norcantharidin in cancer therapy

“…It can also absorb local bleeding during tumor removal, prevent the spread of tumor cells and wound infection [ 222 – 225 ]. In addition, the modified nanohydrogel can also achieve on-demand drug release through light response, magnetic response, ultrasonic response, electrical response, pH response, ROS response, enzyme response and MMPs response [ 226 – 229 ]. Furthermore, some nanomaterials can give hydrogels luminescence and imaging functions to better monitor drug release behavior [ 230 , 231 ].…”

The Dual Modification of PNIPAM and β-Cyclodextrin Grafted on Hyaluronic Acid as Self-Assembled Nanogel for Curcumin Delivery

“…Some specific modifications include the grafting of polymer backbones or additions of other groups that modify functionality. Further modifications may deliver responsiveness to stimuli such as temperature, pH, redox potential, and enzyme activity, all of which will be dependent on the local environment and/or the presence of active drugs [ 8 , 9 ].…”

Exploring the potential of polypeptide–polypeptoide hybrid nanogels for mucosal delivery

“…Nanogels are nanosized polymeric materials obtained from selectively core cross-linked networks at an optimised ratio of monomer to crosslinker. [12][13][14][15] Their small size combined with the ability to impart a diverse range of properties to nanogels renders them suitable for a wide variety of bio-applications like bio-imaging, tissue engineering as well as drug and gene delivery. [16][17][18] In particular, nanogels that respond to the alteration of a stimulus such as pH, temperature or redox are promising candidates as vehicles for drug delivery applications.…”