Photo-control of biological systems with azobenzene polymers

Azobenzene-containing polymers offer tremendous advantages and opportunities over other stimuli-responsive materials to interface with biology. Azobenzene's fast, reversible, and innocuous cis-trans geometrical isomerization can be leveraged into dramatic intra- and inter-molecular changes when incorporated in polymeric materials. Azobenzene use has grown from a colorant, through to optical storage materials, and most recently in a variety of biologically themed applications. This review highlights the broad impact this photo-switch has had in recent years and offers a snapshot of the research landscape at the interface between photochemistry and biology. From photo-reversible micelles and peptides to controlled drug release and sensing, the versatility of azobenzene makes it a favored photo-switch found in many emerging applications. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 3058-3070