Recent advances in formation, properties, and applications of polymersomes.

Polymersomes are self-assembled spherical vesicles based on amphiphilic block copolymers. This review presents a summary of the achievements in the field of polymersome researches to date. Polymersomes have been applied as versatile drug carriers. Some polymersomes, which have well-known stimuli-responsibility, can release drugs in a controlled manner at the target site when they are given a specific stimulation such as pH, temperature, light, magnetic field, hydrogen bond actions, electrostatic force or ultrasound. The preparation methods of polymersomes are similar to that of liposomes, including the thin film rehydration technique, solvent method, direct dissolution, double emulsion in microfluidic device, and electroformation. In addition, biologically active ligands, such as antibodies, can be readily conjugated onto the exterior brush surface of polymersomes to target the vesicles or to provide a therapeutic response. Polymersomes offer superior advantages for future clinical therapeutic and diagnostic imaging applications.