Reactive polymer based colloids for biomedical applications

This short review aimed to give to the reader brief applications of polymer colloids in biomedical area and principally in medical diagnostics. Colloidal polymer particles are mainly used as solid supports, as label for biomolecules reactions detection, and as a carrier. The elaboration of appropriate colloids is reached via numerous processes such as polymerization in dispersed media (dispersion, emulsion, precipitation, miniemulsion polymerizations) or as physico-chemical methodologies (i.e., self-assembly). After a short introduction, some particles elaborations are presented and their applications are briefly described and illustrated.