title: Design of stimuli-responsive dendrimers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dendrimers are synthetic macromolecules with well-defined structures, many terminal functional groups, and an inner space to hold small molecules. These properties make them potential drug carriers. Recently, stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems have become attractive because of the reduction of side effects and maximum expression of drug action.
  
  
  METHODS
  This paper reviews dendrimer nanoparticles that are sensitive to temperature, light, pH and redox state.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Strategies to design these dendritic polymers are provided in this review.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By adding stimuli-responsive properties to the dendrimers, dendritic polymers capable of controlled release can be produced. These stimuli-responsive dendrimers are a potential next generation drug carrier.
authors.affiliation: Osaka Prefecture University, Twenty-first Century Research Institutes, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Research Center, Sakai, Osaka, Japan. c-kojima@21c.osakafu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Chie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kojima
mesh_terms: D050091:Dendrimers; D004337:Drug Carriers; D015195:Drug Design; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008027:Light; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D050091:Dendrimers; D004337:Drug Carriers