Carbon Nanotubes: Applications in Pharmacy and Medicine

Figure 7

Schematic illustration of the drug delivery process. (a) CNT surface is linked with a chemical receptor (Y) and drugs (●) are loaded inside, (b) open end of CNT is capped, (c) drug-CNT carrier is introduced in the body and reaches the target cells due to chemical receptor on CNT surface, (d) cell internalizes CNT by cell receptors (V) via endocytosis pathway for example, (e) cap is removed or biodegrades inside the cell, then drugs are released.