Stimulus-responsive polysaccharide-based hydrogels: From design to biomedical applications

Stimulus-responsive hydrogels can undergo controllable shape deformation and exhibit sol-gel transition behavior under stimulus signals such as pH, reactive oxygen species (ROS), heat, and light. Polysaccharides have become ideal candidates for constructing stimulus-responsive hydrogels due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. The diversity of molecular weights and functional groups of polysaccharides allows them to self-assemble or cooperate with other materials to obtain hydrogels through physical or chemical crosslinking. Bioactive ingredients and functional nanomaterials can be conveniently encapsulated in the hydrogel matrix to meet various requirements. Stimulus-responsive polysaccharide-based hydrogels are widely used in the biomedical field, especially in the fields of drug delivery, tissue engineering, biosensors, and imaging. In this review, the design strategies and recent research advances in stimuli-responsive polysaccharide-based hydrogels are summarized. Future challenges are also presented, and this review will guide the study of stimulus-responsive hydrogels and polysaccharide hydrogels.