Transiently thermoresponsive polymers and their applications in biomedicine

Abstract

The focus of this review is on the class of transiently thermoresponsive polymers. These polymers are thermoresponsive, but gradually lose this property upon chemical transformation – often a hydrolysis reaction – in the polymer side chain or backbone. An overview of the different approaches used for the design of these polymers along with their physicochemical properties is given. Their amphiphilic properties and degradability into fully soluble compounds make this class of responsive polymers attractive for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. Examples of these are also provided in this review.