title: Copolymers: efficient carriers for intelligent nanoparticulate drug targeting and gene therapy.
abstract: Copolymers are among the most promising substances used in the preparation of drug/gene delivery systems. Different categories of copolymers, including block copolymers, graft copolymers, star copolymers and crosslinked copolymers, are of interest in drug delivery. A variety of nanostructures, including polymeric micelles, polymersomes and hydrogels, have been prepared from copolymers and tested successfully for their drug delivery potential. The most recent area of interest in this field is smart nanostructures, which benefit from the stimuli-responsive properties of copolymeric moieties to achieve novel targeted drug delivery systems. Different copolymer applications in drug/gene delivery using nanotechnology-based approaches with particular emphasis on smart nanoparticles are reviewed.
authors: Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran. hamidim@zums.ac.ir
authors: Mehrdad
authors: M
authors: Hamidi
authors: Mohammad-Ali
authors: MA
authors: Shahbazi
authors: Kobra
authors: K
authors: Rostamizadeh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008823:Micelles; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D053758:Nanoparticles; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D008823:Micelles; D011108:Polymers