Smart polymeric micelles for gene and drug delivery.

Polymeric micelles, supramolecular assemblies of block copolymers, are useful nanocarriers for the systemic delivery of drugs and genes. Recently, novel polymeric micelles with smart functions, such as targetability and stimuli-sensitivity, have emerged as promising carriers that enhance the efficacy of drugs and genes with minimal side effects. This review focuses on the construction and characteristic behaviors of intracellular environment-sensitive micelles that selectively exert drug activity and gene expression in live cells.: