Stimuli-responsive Systems: External Triggers (Photothermal,etc.Focusing on Carriers, not Cargo)

Abstract

Skin is the largest organ of the body, with various important functions. For various reasons (e.g. accident, disease, etc.), a defect may form which has potential to disrupt the skin’s functionality. This wound is susceptible to infection and can become chronic, and in the case of melanoma the recurrence of cancer is probable. There are types of materials responsive to external stimuli; these have potential to provide therapeutic alternatives to conventional ones. These alternatives are hyperthermia and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, both of which can eradicate cancerous cells and infection simultaneously. The combination of these agents with well-known wound healing materials gives rise to multifunctional materials for wound cancer therapy and regeneration. In this chapter, external-stimuli-responsive materials which can be activated through light, magnetism and ultrasound as the most popular stimulants are examined to familiarize the potential reader with how these platforms are designed and applied in wound healing applications.