Department of Chemical Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol. 2009 May;2(3):265-82. doi: 10.1586/ecp.09.4.
Nanomaterials have been demonstrated as useful tools for molecular imaging, molecular diagnosis and targeted therapy in biomedical research. The main advantages of such nanomaterials are improved circulation times, precise targeting, enhancement of dissolution rates and enhanced contrast. A challenge and opportunity for nanotechnological strategies is that multiple functionalities, such as therapeutics, targeting, imaging and stimuli responsiveness can be achieved within one nanoparticle. Multifunctional nanoparticles are now actively under investigation and are imminent as the next generation of nanoparticles for providing custom and tailored treatment. This review considers contemporary approaches and possible future directions in the emerging area of multifunctional nanoparticles with a special focus on targeted drug delivery.
纳米材料已被证明是生物医学研究中分子成像、分子诊断和靶向治疗的有用工具。这类纳米材料的主要优势在于延长了循环时间、实现了精确靶向、提高了溶解速率并增强了对比度。纳米技术策略面临的挑战和机遇在于，多种功能（如治疗、靶向、成像和对刺激的响应）可以在一个纳米粒子内实现。多功能纳米粒子目前正在积极研究中，有望成为下一代提供定制化和个体化治疗的纳米粒子。本综述考虑了多功能纳米粒子这一新兴领域的当代方法和可能的未来方向，特别关注靶向药物传递。
