Stimuli-responsive nanocarriers for intracellular delivery

The emergence of different nanoparticles (NPs) has made a significant revolution in the field of medicine. Different NPs in the form of metallic NPs, dendrimers, polymeric NPs, carbon quantum dots and liposomes have been functionalized and used as platforms for intracellular delivery of biomolecules, drugs, imaging agents and nucleic acids. These NPs are designed to improve the pharmacokinetic properties of the drug, improve their bioavailability and successfully surpass physiological or pathological obstacles in the biological system so that therapeutic efficacy is achieved. In this review I present some of the current approaches used in intracellular delivery systems, with a focus on various stimuli-responsive nanocarriers, including cell-penetrating peptides, to highlight their various biomedical applications. © 2017, International Union for Pure and Applied Biophysics (IUPAB) and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.