Intelligent responsive polymeric hydrogels: unlocking a new code for precision medicine in clinical practice

Abstract

Hydrogels, as soft materials composed of polymer networks, have a unique hydrophilic three-dimensional crosslinked structure, which endows them with excellent swelling properties and functional tunability. Herein, we systematically review the research progress on biomedical hydrogels from the perspective of materials science, focusing on the molecular design of natural/synthesized polymers, network construction strategies, and their conformational relationships with the mechanical strength, degradation behavior, and surface functionalization of the materials. We focus on the mechanism of hydrogel materials to maintain a moist environment in the field of wound healing, their antimicrobial functionalization methods, and the materials science principles of their stimulus-responsive drug release behavior in drug delivery systems. Combined with the biomimetic design of tissue engineering scaffolds and the functionalization of biosensing interfaces, we analyze the key challenges encountered in current material design, such as mechanical-degradation balance and precise control of multiple responses. Accordingly, we look forward to the application of multiscale structural design, integration of intelligent response units, and 3D printing and molding technologies in the clinical translation of hydrogel materials.