Smart polymer-based membranes for biomedical applications: Mechanisms, fabrication, and advances in controlled drug delivery and tissue engineering

Smart polymeric membranes have become essential in biomedical applications because of their capacity to dynamically respond to physiological environments. These materials exhibit reversible physicochemical changes when exposed to external or internal stimuli, such as pH, temperature, enzymes, light, or electric and magnetic fields. This responsiveness has driven the development of controlled drug-delivery systems, regenerative tissue scaffolds, and biosensing devices for personalized medicine. Although some studies on polymeric scaffolds are included, they are discussed to highlight design principles relevant to membrane-based systems. This review presents an overview of smart polymeric membranes, focusing on their classification, mechanisms of operation, fabrication methods, and biomedical applications. The roles of natural and synthetic polymers in designing membranes with optimal properties, including mechanical strength, biocompatibility, and responsiveness, are emphasized. Particular attention is given to applications in tissue engineering and drug delivery, where membrane properties are crucial for improving therapeutic efficacy in drug release and tissue regeneration. However, challenges remain, such as clinical translation, long-term functional stability, and process scalability. This review discusses strategies to address these challenges and offers future perspectives on clinical translation. The terms ‘smart polymeric membranes’ and ‘stimuli-responsive membranes’ are used interchangeably to describe polymeric materials capable of modulating transport, release, or tissue interaction in response to external stimuli. • Smart polymeric membranes exhibit stimuli-responsive behavior (e.g., pH, temperature, enzymes) ideal for biomedical use. • These membranes enable precise and controlled drug delivery with spatial and temporal accuracy. • Stimuli-sensitive membranes serve as dynamic scaffolds in regenerative tissue engineering. • Recent fabrication techniques have improved mechanical strength, permeability, and biocompatibility. • Key challenges include clinical translation, scalability, long-term stability, and regulatory hurdles.