Smart Liposomes for Drug Delivery

In this chapter, we will give a brief introduction of the current development of liposomal drug delivery systems, including the basic concepts of liposome research and the functional designs of liposomes needed to manipulate the drug release as desired. Various types of drugs can be delivered by liposomes, including hydrophilic or lipophilic small molecules, DNA/RNA, proteins, peptides, antigens, and nanoparticles. The physical properties, the stimuli-sensitive components, and the conjugation of bioactive ligands endow liposomes with distinct drug delivery abilities to tumors, liver, brain, immune system, and to several other kinds of tissues/organs.