Smart Polymers and Their Applications as （智能聚合物及其应用程序）.pdfVIP

S C H A P T E R 6 L A I R E T A M O Smart Polymers and Their I B I I I Applications as Biomaterials M.R.Aguilar*, C. Elvira, A. Gallardo, B. Vázquez, and J.S. Román Summary iving systems respond to external stimuli adapting themselves to changing conditions. Polymer L scientists have been trying to mimic this behaviour for the last twenty years creating the so called smart polymers. These are defined as polymers that undergo reversible large, physical or chemical changes in response to small external changes in the environmental conditions, such as temperature, pH, light, magnetic or electric field, ionic factors, biological molecules, etc. Smart polymers have very promising applications in the biomedical field as delivery systems of therapeutic agents, tissue engineering scaffolds, cell culture supports, bioseparation devices, sensors or actuators systems. This chapter is focused on pH and temperature sensitive polymers and their most recent and relevant applications as biomaterials in drug delivery and tissue engineering. Dual-stimuli-responsive materials will also be presented because of their high potential in the biomedical field. Keywords: Stimuli sensitive polymers, drug delivery, tissue engineering * Correspondence to: Dr. María Rosa Aguilar de Armas, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (CSIC), C/ Juan de la Cierva, 3. 28006 Madrid, SPAIN. Tel. +34 91 562 29 00 (ext.332) E-mail: mraguilar@ictp.csic.es Topics in Tissue Engineering, Vol. 3, 2007. Eds. N Ashammakhi, R Reis E Chiellini © 2007. Aguilar et al.