Polymersomes represent the latest generation of colloidal vesicles for drug
carriers. As well as liposomes, they can include hydrophilic molecules in their interior
core and also hydrophobic molecules in their surrounding polymeric membrane. The
vesicular nature of these particles, for which the free volume represent over 90% of
their global volume, makes it possible to include large amounts of drugs and of course,
their transportation to the target. This chapter present the methods used for obtaining
and characterizing polymersomes and also their applications as drug carriers or as
diagnostic tools.
Keywords: Nanovesicles, drugs encapsulation, drug release, genes delivery,
amphiphilic block copolymers, anticancer therapy, cancer diagnostic, breast
cancer, biocompatibility, nontoxicity, imaging agent, nanocarriers, membrane
robustness, aqueous core, biodistribution, polymersome, PEGylation,
nanoreactors, self-assembled, target therapy.
