Mesostructured multifunctional nanoparticles for imaging and drug delivery

Mesostructured silica particles (∼100 nm diameter with ∼2 nm pores) prepared by surfactant-templated sol–gel techniques are versatile supports that can be easily derivatized with active molecules to create multifunctional materials. By deliberately placing active molecules in different regions of the mesostructure, fluorescent molecules, molecular machines, targeting ligands, and metal nanocrystals can be combined on a single particle. This review highlights the research in which multiple components are incorporated onto mesoporous silica for simultaneous imaging and delivery of molecules in biological applications.