Review on the advancements of magnetic gels: towards multifunctional magnetic liposome-hydrogel composites for biomedical applications

Abstract

Magnetic gels have been gaining great attention in nanomedicine, as they combine features of hydrogels and magnetic nanoparticles into a single system. The incorporation of liposomes in magnetic gels further leads to a more robust multifunctional system enabling more functions and spatiotemporal control required for biomedical applications, which includes on-demand drug release. In this review, magnetic gels components are initially introduced, as well as an overview of advancements on the development, tuneability, manipulation and application of these materials. After a discussion of the advantages of combining hydrogels with liposomes, the properties, fabrication strategies and applications of magnetic liposome-hydrogel composites (magnetic lipogels or magnetolipogels) are reviewed. Overall, the progress of magnetic gels towards smart multifunctional materials are emphasized, considering the contributions for future developments.

Novel Hydrogels for Topical Applications: An Updated Comprehensive Review Based on Source

“…They used synthetic polymer poly-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate for preparing contact lenses [ 4 , 26 ]. Due to the high-water holding capacity, elastic in nature, compatibility with living tissue, and adaptability made hydrogels as a broad choice of use in various fields [ 27 ]. As part of the second stage, commencement in the 1970s, scientists began developing a more complex hydrogel capable of responding to pH and temperature and producing a precise response.…”

“…Hydrogels developed in the third stage of development led to creating “smart hydrogels” [ 28 ]. Since the 1980s, hydrogels have been used for various biomedical disciplines like contact lenses, absorbent cotton, suture, and cell engineering [ 29 ], and biosensor, drug delivery, cell therapy, and 3D cell culture [ 27 ] to incorporate various conventional and novel formulations [ 18 , 29 ].…”

Applications and Mechanisms of Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogels in Traumatic Brain Injury

“…Under the stimulation of magnetic field, the magnetic nanoparticles in the nanohydrogel can self-assemble to form an ordered structure, making the surface of the hydrogel anisotropic ( Figure 3 A) and thereby promoting cell proliferation, neurogenesis, signal transduction and ECM regeneration [ 42 ]. Besides, the macroscopic magnetic-responsive hydrogels perform functions such as magnetron release, magnetocaloric effect, and optical property adjustment under magnetic field stimulation ( Figure 3 B) [ 43 ]. Magnetic actuation does not require contact stimulation and can be operated remotely, which is suitable for complex environments [ 44 , 45 ].…”

“…This hydrogel could respond to an external magnetic field and travel to the tissue defect sites in physiological fluids under remote magnetic guidance [ 49 ]. To sum up, magnetic-responsive hydrogels have the advantages of low invasiveness, good tissue permeability, remote operation, rapid response and high controllability, but they also have some limitations, such as low mechanical strength, material toxicity, and low biocompatibility [ 41 , 43 ].…”

Behaviour of a magnetic nanogel in a shear flow

“…To broaden the spectra of bio-compatible control stimuli and make the drug delivery even more targeted, it was proposed to embed magnetic nanoparticles into the polymer network [48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55], thus creating magnetic micro-and nanogels, abbreviated to MMG and MNG respectively. The idea to combine magnetic nanoparticles with polymer matrix had been previously tested on bulk systems -macroscopic magnetic gels [56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65]. Such macroscopic magnetic gels were shown to reversibly and efficiently change their mechanic and optical properties on the application of an external magnetic field of a moderate strength.…”