Dendritic polymers in biomedical applications: from potential to clinical use in diagnostics and therapy.
Dendrimers are characterized by a combination of high end-group functionality and a compact, precisely defined molecular structure. These characteristics can be used in biomedical applications, for example, for the amplification or multiplication of effects on a molecular level, or to create extremely high local concentrations of drugs, molecular labels, or probe moieties. A brief summary of the current state of the art in the field is given, and focuses on the application of dendrimers both in diagnostics as well as in therapy. In diagnostics, dendrimers that bear GdIII complexes are used as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging. DNA dendrimers have potential for routine use in high-throughput functional genomic analysis, as well as for DNA biosensors. Dendrimers are also being investigated for therapeutics, for example, as carriers for controlled drug delivery, in gene transfection, as well as in boron neutron-capture therapy. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity of dendrimers has been studied.
Stiriba
Salah-Eddine
SE
Institut für Makromolekulare Chemie, und Freiburger Materialforschungszentrum (FMF), Universität Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Strasse 21/31, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
Frey
Holger
H
Haag
Rainer
R
D003287:Contrast Media; D050091:Dendrimers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging
D003287:Contrast Media; D050091:Dendrimers