Silica-based nanocarriers

Silica-based nanomaterials have long been used in medical research due to their high biocompatibility and malleable physiochemical properties. In nanomedicine, silica nanomaterials are easily modified, have a significant amount of individual surface area, and are highly biocompatible. As nanocarriers for drug delivery, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may mitigate the low bioavailability, short circulation life span, and undesirable biodistribution associated with many treatments. For improved cell selectivity as well as instant emission design capabilities, ligands that act as substrate sites or “gatekeepers” have been conjugated to SNPs, while physical and chemical characteristics of SNPs, such as the size of particle, their shape, and structure of mesoporous nanoparticles, have been engineered to enhance delivery efficiency and spatiotemporal precision. In spite of many improvements, traditional SNPs are mainly used as nanocarriers for selective onsite distribution and proscribed release because the naked silica framework is harmless.