Thermogelation of polymer nanoassemblies: promising platforms for injectable biomaterials in medical applications

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Thermally induced gelling systems, or thermogels, represent an important class of injectable biomaterials that remain liquid prior to administration but undergo a sol - gel transition upon heating to body temperature, thereby providing a minimally invasive alternative to conventional hydrogels. These materials are typically composed of amphiphilic block copolymer micelles that assemble into macroscopic hydrogel networks. This review highlights the design principles and gelation mechanisms of micelle‑derived thermogels, including mesophase transitions, aggregation mediated by thermosensitive outer shells, and percolated network formation through controlled assembly of patchy micelles with multiple thermosensitive-binding domains. We discuss how polymer composition, block length, and end‑group chemistry dictate critical gelation temperature and concentration, mechanical properties, and long‑term stability. Recent advances in biomedical applications are then introduced, spanning localized drug delivery, vascular embolization, tissue engineering, and cell transplantation. Finally, we outline key challenges for clinical translation, emphasizing the needs for rational design strategies and predictive modeling to accelerate the development of next‑generation thermogels. Literature search: PubMed, SciFinder, and Google Scholar, up to November 2025.

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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