Magnetic-responsive hydrogels: From strategic design to biomedical applications.

Smart hydrogels which can respond to external stimuli have been widely focused with increasing interest. Thereinto, magnetic-responsive hydrogels that are prepared by embedding magnetic nanomaterials into hydrogel networks are more advantageous in biomedical applications due to their rapid magnetic response, precisely temporal and spatial control and non-invasively remote actuation. Upon the application of an external magnetic field, magnetic hydrogels can be actuated to perform multiple response modes such as locomotion, deformation and thermogenesis for therapeutic purposes without the limit of tissue penetration depth. This review summarizes the latest advances of magnetic-responsive hydrogels with focus on biomedical applications. The synthetic methods of magnetic hydrogels are firstly introduced. Then, the roles of different response modes of magnetic hydrogels played in different biomedical applications are emphatically discussed in detail. In the end, the current limitations and future perspectives for magnetic hydrogels are given. [Display omitted] • The recent advances of magnetic hydrogels in biomedical applications are summarized. • The design and synthetic strategies of magnetic hydrogels are summarized. • Magnetic hydrogels can perform multiple response modes under external magnetic fields. • Magnetic hydrogels hold the promise as remotely controlled micro-/nanorobots in theranostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]