TABLE 1.

Representative light-controlled drug delivery systems.

Delivery systems	Stimuli and drug release mechanisms	Applications	Highlights	Reference
PEG-Azo2 with alginate-βCD	UV/photoisomerization with guest-host chemistry	Release of small molecules for tissue engineering and wound healing	Light induced rapid and controlled release of small molecules, suitable for wound healing	Chiang and Chu, (2015)
HA with Azo and βCD	UV/photoisomerization with guest-host chemistry	BSA release in cell culture environments	Reversible guest-host interactions and accurate control of dug release	Rosales et al. (2018)
PAA with mAzo and βCD	Red light/photoisomerization with guest-host chemistry	in vivo protein release	Controlled deep tissue drug delivery	Wang et al. (2015)
SPMA with spiropyran–merocyanine	UV/photoisomerization induced volumetric change	in vitro DOX release	On-demand reversible drug release with hydrophobicity switch	(Ghani et al., 2021/01)
PAA, spiropyran, disulfide-containing cystamine	UV/photoisomerization resulted multi stimuli response	in vitro DOX release	Light, pH, and redox triple-responsive nanogel	Chen et al. (2017)
PEGMA with tethered exosomes	Blue light/photocleavage	BMP loaded exosome release in cells to deliver small molecules	Controlled release through hydrogel structure, efficient cell uptake	Yerneni et al.eng, (2022)
Injectable glycol chitosan with IR783-mHNK	NIR/photocleavage	in vivo mHNK release in mice	Accurate control, good biocompatibility and stability, minimum leakage and efficient light responsibility	Yang et al. (2022)
PEG-SH, S,S-Tetrazine	Green light/photocleavage - light induced gel degradation	in vivo DOX release in mice for cancer therapy	Drug release with hyperoxide-accelerated behaviors and antitumor effects	Wang et al. (2020)
PEG, polylysine, coumarin	UV/photocleavage induced light and redox responses	in vivo drug release for cancer therapy	Good drug loading capacity and stability, preferred tumor accumulation and the prolonged tumor residency	Shao et al. (2014)
PVA pBP composite	NIR/photothermal effects	in vitro congo red release	Robust mechanical properties, excellent biocompatibility, highly controllable drug release	Yang et al. (2018)
Oxidized dextran and platinum nanoparticles	NIR/photothermal effects	in vitro and in vivo drug release for cancer therapy	Long-term repeated PTT with excellent photothermal effects and good biocompatibility	Li et al. (2018b)
Agarose, HK ink, dihydroartemisinin	NIR-II/photothermal effects and reversible gel degradation	in vivo release of drug targeting tissues with pre-injected DHA	Injectable, deep tissue penetration, accurate tissue targeting	Chen et al. (2020)
GelPV-DOX-DBNP	NIR and red light/hydrogel degradation and photothermal effects	in vivo DOX release for cancer therapy	Combined chemo-photothermal therapy with two-step accurate control of drug release	Sun et al.eng, (2020)
Chitosan/PLA/PNIPAM Hydrogels coated Gold Nano Rods	NIR/hydrogel volumetric shrinkage due to photothermal effects	In vitro study of paclitaxel (PTX) delivery to cells	Multi-stimuli sensitive systems able to respond to light, heat, and pH	Pourjavadi et al. (2020)
PLGA nanoparticles with Graphene Quantum Dots or Methylene Blue	NIR/hydrogel degradation due to photothermal effects	Chemo-photothermal or chemo-photodynamic therapy for cancer	Combined chemotherapy with PTT and PDT, as well as accurate release control	Liang et al.eng, (2020)
NIPAm, MPCD with gold nanorods (GNRs)	NIR/photothermal and pH responsive effects	Chemophotothermal synergistic cancer therapy	Good mechanical and swelling properties, gelation characteristics, and excellent NIR-responsive property	Xu et al.eng, (2017)
PNPG-PEG-aCD	NIR-II/photothermal effects	Cisplatin release for in vivo chemo-photothermal therapy	Repeatable and accurate controlled drug release, deep tissue penetration	Ruan et al. (2019)
Gelatin, PDA and alginate	NIR/photothermal effects	Localized therapy of breast cancer	3D printed scaffolds for accurate structure control and drug release	Wei et al. (2020)
PLGA coated Au-TiO2	NIR/photothermal effects	Human papillary thyroid carcinoma therapy	High efficiency, good biocompatibility, accurate control	Yu et al. (2020)
Gel-MA, BACA with Cu NPs	NIR/photothermal effects and ROS production	Skin tissue regeneration	Multifunctional hydrogel for killing bacteria and accelerating wound healing	Tao et al. (2019)