Emerging nanomaterials for targeting subcellular organelles

SummaryOver the past decade, research interest in the application of biomedical nanotechnology to the diagnosis and treatment of disease has grown significantly, and physiological barriers to nanoparticle delivery may now be rationally overcome. Subcellular targeting is defined as engineered nanoparticle intracellular interactions, processing, and trafficking, and is a rapidly developing frontier of biomedical innovation. The potential clinical impact of nanoparticle subcellular targeting may be appreciated when considering the promise of effective gene therapies, molecular imaging devices, and treatments for organelle-specific diseases. In this review, we discuss recent innovations in the materials, ligands, and methods employed in designing subcellular nanotechnology, from cellular internalization methods and endosomal escape to recent approaches used to target the nucleus, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, as well as other organelles and intracellular events.

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► Targeting cellular internalization mechanisms aids localization of nanoparticles.
► Endosomal escape is a critical step in effective delivery via endocytosis.
► Direct translocation across cellular membranes facilitates cytosolic access.
► Organelle-specific targeting has been demonstrated using various nanomaterials.
► Subcellular targeting remains an area with vast potential to advance nanomedicine.