Multifunctional silica nanoparticles as a promising theranostic platform for biomedical applications

Abstract

Theranostic nanoplatforms represent an important tool in the diagnosis and therapy of many major diseases, especially in the field of cancer theranostics, for which a myriad of nanoplatforms, such as polymeric micelles, liposomes and inorganic nanoparticles (NPs), have been designed and developed in recent decades. Among these nanoplatforms, silica NPs provide many advantages over other similar systems for therapeutics, bioimaging, bio-adhesives and many other biomedical applications. Therapeutic nanoplatforms based on mesoporous silica NPs (typically of pore size 2–50 nm) have been reviewed extensively. Herein, we provide an overview of recent advances in the development of theranostic nanoplatforms based on nonporous silica NPs within a size range of 1–200 nm for many critical biomedical applications, particularly stimuli-triggered drug delivery, precise cancer diagnosis as well as tissue bio-adhesive materials.