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| Types | Size (nm) | Physicochemical properties | Applications |
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| Carbon nanotubes | 0.5–3 (diameter) 20–1,000 (length) | Third allotropic crystalline form of carbon sheets either single layer (single-walled nanotube, SWNT) or multiple layer (multiwalled nanotube, MWNT). These crystals have remarkable strength and unique electrical properties (conducting, semiconducting, or insulating) | Functionalization enhanced solubility, penetration to cell cytoplasm and to nucleus, as Carrier for gene delivery, peptide delivery |
| Dendrimer | <10 | Highly branched, nearly monodispersed polymer system obtained from controlled polymerization; three main parts core, branch, and surface | Long circulatory, controlled delivery of bioactive compounds, targeted delivery of bioactive compounds to macrophages, liver targeting |
| Liposome | 50–100 | Phospholipid vesicles, biocompatible, versatile, good entrapment efficiency and different vesicle types depending on the structure multilamellar vesicles (MLV): >500 nm; oligolamellar vesicle (OLV): 100–500 nm; unilamellar vesicles, and unilamellar types depending on the size as small unilamellar vesicles (SUV): 20–100 nm; large unilamellar vesicles (LUV): >100 nm; giant unilamellar vesicles (GUV): >1,000 nm | Long circulatory, offer passive and active delivery of gene, protein, peptide, and various other components |
| Metallic nanoparticles | <100 | Gold and silver colloids, very small size resulting in high surface area available for functionalization, high stability | Drug and gene delivery, highly sensitive diagnostic assays, thermal ablation, and radiotherapy enhancement |
| Nanocrystals quantum dots | 2–9.5 | Semiconducting material synthesized with II-VI and III-V column element; size between 10 and 100 Å; bright fluorescence, narrow emission, broad UV excitation, and high photo stability | Long-term multiple color imaging of liver cell; DNA hybridization, immunoassay; receptor-mediated endocytosis; labeling of breast cancer marker HeR2 surface of cancer cells |
| Polymeric micelles | 10–100 | Block amphiphilic copolymer micelles, high drug entrapment, payload, and biostability | Long circulatory, target specific active and passive drug delivery, diagnostic value |
| Polymeric nanoparticles | 10–1,000 | Biodegradable, biocompatible, and offer complete drug protection | Excellent carrier for controlled and sustained delivery of drugs; Stealth and surface modified nanoparticles used for active and passive delivery of bioactive compounds |
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