title: Intracellular delivery of polymeric nanocarriers: a matter of size, shape, charge, elasticity and surface composition.
abstract: Recent progress in drug discovery has enabled the targeting of specific intracellular molecules to achieve therapeutic effects. These next-generation therapeutics are often biologics that cannot enter cells by mere diffusion. Therefore, it is imperative that drug carriers are efficiently internalized by cells and reach specific target organelles before releasing their cargo. Nanoscale polymeric carriers are particularly suitable for such intracellular delivery. Although size and surface charge have been the most studied parameters for nanocarriers, it is now well appreciated that other properties, for example, particle shape, elasticity and surface composition, also play a critical role in their transport across physiological barriers. It is proposed that a multivariate design space that considers the interdependence of particle geometry with its mechanical and surface properties must be optimized to formulate drug nanocarriers for effective accumulation at target sites and efficient intracellular delivery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Rachit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: Krishnendu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Roy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004548:Elasticity; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles; D011108:Polymers / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D018874:Spheroids, Cellular; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D011108:Polymers; D003165:Complement System Proteins