Cell-penetrating peptides present huge biomedical applications in a variety of pathologies, thanks to their ability to penetrate membranes and carry a variety of cargoes inside cells. Progress in peptide synthesis has produced a greater availability of virtually any synthetic peptide, increasing their attractiveness. Most molecules when associated to a cell-penetrating peptides can be delivered into a cell, however, understanding of the critical factors influencing the uptake mechanism is of paramount importance to construct nanoplatforms for effective delivery in vitro and in vivo in medical applications. Focus is now on the state-of-art of the mechanisms enabling therapeutics/diagnostics to reach the site target of their activities, and in support of scientists developing platforms for drug delivery and personalized therapies.
Keywords: cell-penetrating peptide; drug delivery; nanomedicine.