Chapter 9

Polymersomes-Preparation, Characterization and Medical Applications

Daniela Ailincăi and Marcel Popa

Abstract

Polymersomes represent the latest generation of colloidal vesicles for drug carriers. As well as liposomes, they can include hydrophilic molecules in their interior core and also hydrophobic molecules in their surrounding polymeric membrane. The vesicular nature of these particles, for which the free volume represent over 90% of their global volume, makes it possible to include large amounts of drugs and of course, their transportation to the target. This chapter present the methods used for obtaining and characterizing polymersomes and also their applications as drug carriers or as diagnostic tools.

Total Pages: 317-339 (23)

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