Polymeric nanocarriers in drug delivery, bioimaging, and biosensing: advances and perspectives on nanomicelles, nanogels, and dendrimers

Abstract

Polymeric nanocarriers such as nanomicelles, nanogels, and dendrimers are critical nanomedicine tools, providing novel drug delivery, bioimaging, and biosensing solutions. The design, synthesis, and potential of polymeric nanocarriers to solve long-term biomedical issues are addressed in this review. Nanomicelles, which are self-assembled from amphiphilic copolymers, increase drug solubility such as paclitaxel and allow stimuli-responsive site-specific release controlled by pH or light. Nanogels comprising water-holding polymer networks deliver and protect a broad variety of agents, ranging from anticancer drugs to insulin, across barriers, such as the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Tree-branched dendrimers enhance drug delivery and contrast imaging through precise molecular conjugation. For bioimaging, these carriers increase the resolution of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging, while for biosensing, they enable sensitive detection of glucose and other analytes. Despite their potential, scalability, and clinical translation, challenges exist. This review charts their groundbreaking impact through case studies and paving the way for personalized medicine.