Resrarch progress on stimulus-responsive polymeric nanoparticles for biomedical applications

Abstract

Polymeric nanoparticles with unique properties are currently considered as the most promising materials for biomedical applications including drug delivery and in-vitro/in vivo imaging. Of which, stimulus-responsive polymeric nanoparticles, usually termed as “intelligent” nanoparticles, are the nanoparticles which can undergo structure, shape, and property changes after being exposed to external signals including pH, temperature, magnetic field, photo, etc. Such environmental sensitive behaviors have been frequently used to modulate the macroscopical behaviors of the nanoparticles. This article focuses on the recent developments in the stimulus-responsive nanoparticles used for drug delivery and in-vitro/in vivo imaging, with an emphasis on double/multiple stimulus responsive systems and their biomedical applications.