Biomedical applications of nanotechnology--implications for drug targeting and gene therapy.

Colloidal particles in the nanometre size range (less than 1 micron in diameter) can be engineered to provide opportunities for the site-specific delivery of drugs after injection into the general circulation or lymphatic systems. Targets include the liver (both Kupffer cells and hepatocytes), endothelial cells, sites of inflammation and lymph nodes. The size and surface of the particle are crucial factors in targeting, and the attachment of cell-specific ligands can lead to increased selectivity. The applications of such particle engineering are discussed in relation to conventional drugs as well as the emerging area of gene therapy.