Mesoporous silicas in materials engineering: Nanodevices for bionanotechnologies

In this review, the most valuable opportunities offered by mesoporous silica nanoparticles in the field of development of nanodevices for bionanotechnology applications are reviewed. The state of the art is critically discussed with particular emphasis on cancer-related application, paying attention to all the aspects of the design and development of the process that engineers the selective administration of an anticancer agent to cancer tissues. The analyses of the critical factors that limit this process are taken into account and the technical solutions proposed to face these factors are discussed. Furthermore, targeting to difficult tissues and forefront applications such as cancer immunotherapy, diagnostic, theranostic, and gene therapy are considered. Lastly, the authors provide their opinion on the reasons according to which the translation of this generation of nanodevices from laboratory research into practical clinical and eventually into the market is possible.