Thermoresponsive Polymer Assemblies: From Molecular Design to Theranostics Application

Molecule self-assembly is a ubiquitous phenomenon and a key driving force for constructing nanostructures with diverse morphology and controllable size. Recently, interests in constructing environmentally responsive nanostructures have been growing, due to its diverse stimuli responsiveness. Thermoresponsive polymers as a class of smart materials, undergoes a phase transition by temperature stimuli, resulting assembly of molecules to construct diverse nanostructures with unique morphology and size. Over the past decades, supramolecular assembly in static solutions is well-established, while translating the self-assembly of synthetic molecules from the static controlled conditions to highly complex and dynamic environment of living systems is still challenging. In this review, we provide a brief overview of building blocks for constructing thermoresponsive polymer assemblies particularly those are suitable for in vivo self-assembly. Then we review recent contributions on molecular design and methods for constructing thermoresponsive polymer assemblies in vitro , particularly highlight those are instructive for the subsequent in vivo self-assembly. Furthermore, the tips for successful in vivo construction, self-assembly structure-property relationship, the advantages of in vivo self-assembled thermoresponsive materials for imaging or therapy and material topology-bioeffects relationship are emphasized.