Cell Membrane-Coated Nanoparticles for Precision Medicine: A Comprehensive Review of Coating Techniques for Tissue-Specific Therapeutics

Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Feb 8;25(4):2071. doi: 10.3390/ijms25042071.

Abstract

Nanoencapsulation has become a recent advancement in drug delivery, enhancing stability, bioavailability, and enabling controlled, targeted substance delivery to specific cells or tissues. However, traditional nanoparticle delivery faces challenges such as a short circulation time and immune recognition. To tackle these issues, cell membrane-coated nanoparticles have been suggested as a practical alternative. The production process involves three main stages: cell lysis and membrane fragmentation, membrane isolation, and nanoparticle coating. Cell membranes are typically fragmented using hypotonic lysis with homogenization or sonication. Subsequent membrane fragments are isolated through multiple centrifugation steps. Coating nanoparticles can be achieved through extrusion, sonication, or a combination of both methods. Notably, this analysis reveals the absence of a universally applicable method for nanoparticle coating, as the three stages differ significantly in their procedures. This review explores current developments and approaches to cell membrane-coated nanoparticles, highlighting their potential as an effective alternative for targeted drug delivery and various therapeutic applications.

Keywords: biomimetic nanoparticle; biomimicry; homotypic targeting; nanomedicine; nanoparticle coating; targeted drug delivery.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Nanoparticles*
  • Precision Medicine*

Grants and funding

This research was funded by financial support from the European Union FEDER funds and the Spanish Instituto de Salud Carlos iii under Projects ref. PI22/00030 and PI23/00261, as well as the Project “From waste to wealth” Ref. TED2021-129248B-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by the European Union Next Generation EU/PRTR. L.G.H wants to thank the Ministry of Innovation and Science of Spain for her Juan de la Cierva Incorporación grant (IJC2020-043746-I).