Hydrophilic polymers are the center of research emphasis in nanotechnology because of their perceived “intelligence”. They can be used as thin films, scaffolds, or nanoparticles in a wide range of biomedical and biological applications. Here we highlight recent developments in engineering uncrosslinked and crosslinked hydrophilic polymers for these applications. Natural, biohybrid, and synthetic hydrophilic polymers and hydrogels are analyzed and their thermodynamic responses are discussed. In addition, examples of the use of hydrogels for various therapeutic applications are given. We show how such systems’ intelligent behavior can be used in sensors, microarrays, and imaging. Finally, we outline challenges for the future in integrating hydrogels into biomedical applications.

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Hydrogels in Biology and Medicine: From Molecular Principles to Bionanotechnology†

Hydrogel delivery systems can leverage therapeutically beneficial outcomes of drug delivery and have found clinical use. Hydrogels can provide spatial and temporal control over the release of various therapeutic agents, including small-molecule drugs, macromolecular drugs and cells. Owing to their tunable physical properties, controllable degradability and capability to protect labile drugs from degradation, hydrogels serve as a platform in which various physiochemical interactions with the encapsulated drugs control their release. In this Review, we cover multiscale mechanisms underlying the design of hydrogel drug delivery systems, focusing on physical and chemical properties of the hydrogel network and the hydrogel-drug interactions across the network, mesh, and molecular (or atomistic) scales. We discuss how different mechanisms interact and can be integrated to exert fine control in time and space over the drug presentation. We also collect experimental release data from the literature, review clinical translation to date of these systems, and present quantitative comparisons between different systems to provide guidelines for the rational design of hydrogel delivery systems.

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Designing hydrogels for controlled drug delivery.

Modeling of drug release from delivery systems based on hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC).

Hydrogels in controlled release formulations: network design and mathematical modeling

Future perspectives and recent advances in stimuli-responsive materials

Glucose-sensitivity of glucose oxidase-containing cationic copolymer hydrogels having poly(ethylene glycol) grafts.

A New Model Describing the Swelling and Drug Release Kinetics from Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Tablets

Preparation and dynamic response of cationic copolymer hydrogels containing glucose oxidase

Dynamic behavior of glucose oxidase-containing microparticles of poly(ethylene glycol)-grafted cationic hydrogels in an environment of changing pH

The glucose-sensitive behavior of glucose-sensitive, poly(diethylaminoethyl methacrylate-g-ethylene glycol) hydrogels was modeled and analyzed in the case of exposure to glucose solutions. Gel microparticles were prepared with molar ratios of 10:1 diethylaminoethyl methacrylate to poly(ethylene glycol) of molecular weights 200, 400, and 1000, using tetra(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate as a cross-linking agent. Glucose oxidase and catalase was immobilized in the matrix during polymerization. The equilibrium and dynamic swelling properties of these hydrogels were investigated. The pH-dependent equilibrium swelling characteristics showed a sharp transition between the swollen state and the collapsed state at a pH of 7.0. Microparticles showed rapid swelling and collapse under the influence of pulsatile pH changes. The glucose-sensitive behavior of the gels due to glucose oxidase was also studied. Diffusion and relaxation models were used to predict swelling of single microparticles under different pH and gl...

Modeling of water transport in and release from glucose-sensitive swelling-controlled release systems based on poly(diethylaminoethyl methacrylate-g-ethylene glycol)

Kairali Podual

Papers

Glucose-sensitivity of glucose oxidase-containing cationic copolymer hydrogels having poly(ethylene glycol) grafts.

A New Model Describing the Swelling and Drug Release Kinetics from Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Tablets

Preparation and dynamic response of cationic copolymer hydrogels containing glucose oxidase

Dynamic behavior of glucose oxidase-containing microparticles of poly(ethylene glycol)-grafted cationic hydrogels in an environment of changing pH

Modeling of water transport in and release from glucose-sensitive swelling-controlled release systems based on poly(diethylaminoethyl methacrylate-g-ethylene glycol)