title: Nanoparticles in gene therapy principles, prospects, and challenges.
abstract: With the development of genomic technologies, the prospect for gene therapy has progressed rapidly. The major challenge of gene delivery is to improve the transfection efficiencies of the nonviral carriers. Among various nonviral gene vectors, nanoparticles (NPs) offer an ideal platform for the incorporation of all the desirable characteristics into a single gene delivery system. In this chapter, some of the most popularly used lipid- and polymer-based gene delivery vectors and their components are discussed in terms of their characteristics, advantages, and limitations. Although substantial progress has been made, further development of sophisticated delivery systems is foreseen for the nonviral vectors' application in gene therapy. Therefore, we have described several effective strategies to enhance the transfection efficiency of nonviral gene vectors. It is hoped that this review will provide an impetus to the expansion of this promising field of nanomedicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Shandong University, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chunxi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*