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Photosensitive hydrogels: from structure, mechanisms, design to bioapplications

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Abstract

Hydrogel is a smart material with a three-dimensional network structure and has been widely used in various fields due to its good biodegradability, biocompatibility, and modification. Photosensitive hydrogel is a smart hydrogel, and its amenability to remote, precise control, and flexible and convenient regulation of stimulating factors make it an ideal candidate for use in fields such as biological materials, drug carriers, and sensors. In this review, we discuss the structure, mechanisms, design principles, and bioapplications of photosensitive hydrogels as developed in recent years. Finally, their potential for development and potential future challenges are outlined.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (61601218 and 81672508), Jiangsu Provincial Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars (BK20170041), Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province (2019JM-016), China-Sweden Joint Mobility Project (51811530018), and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.

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  1. Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE) & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211800, China

    Wenhui Ji, Qiong Wu, Xisi Han, Wei Zhang, Lin Li & Wei Huang

  2. Shaanxi Institute of Flexible Electronics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, 710072, China

    Wei Huang

  3. Department of General Surgery, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009, China

    Wei Wei & Liang Chen

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  1. Wenhui Ji
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Ji, W., Wu, Q., Han, X. et al. Photosensitive hydrogels: from structure, mechanisms, design to bioapplications. Sci. China Life Sci. 63, 1813–1828 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11427-019-1710-8

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