Mesoporous silica as micro/nano-carrier: From passive to active cargo delivery, a mini review

Abstract Mesoporous silica has been widely explored for biomedical applications due to its unique structure and good biocompatibility. In particular it exhibits superior properties as micro/nano-carriers in the biomedical field. We explore their potentials in controlled drug/gene co-delivery and photodynamic therapy for cancer treatment both in vitro and in vivo . By incorporating mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNP) with two-dimensional nanomaterial, graphene oxide nano-sheet, we utilize MSNP in cellular bio-imaging with squaraine dye. Meanwhile, through delicate combination between mesoporous silica micro/nano carriers with catalytic/bio-catalytic reactions, we manage to achieve self-propelled micro/nano-motors based on mesoporous silica that are capable of transporting cargos in an active manner. Especially, enzyme powered mesoporous silica motors can be powered by physiologically available fuels such as glucose and urea, which are advantageous for future biomedical use. Motion control on both velocity and movement direction provides a powerful tool for targeted drug delivery. Therefore, such mesoporous silica based active carriers pave way to the solution of targeted drug delivery for cancer treatment in future nano-medicine field.