Polymeric nanomaterials for targeting the cellular suborganelles

Abstract Polymeric nanomaterials have been developed into multifunctional materials with significant potential for biomedical applications owing to their excellent synthetic flexibility, high photostability, and great biocompatibility. Particularly, various polymeric nanomaterials can be explored in drug delivery, fluorescence, photoacoustic imaging, and phototherapy. However, the latest emerging “precision medicine” approach requires precise drug delivery, which partly means the therapeutic/diagnostic agents should be delivered specifically to suborganelles instead of randomly diffusing in the entire cells. Such subcellular-targeting strategy would achieve maximum functional responses and avoid undesired side effects of the polymeric molecules. In this chapter, we will introduce recent progress in polymeric nanomaterials for targeting the cellular suborganelles including cytoplasm, nucleus, mitochondria, lysosomes, Golgi, and endoplasmic reticulum. Possible mechanisms of such organelle-targeted delivery will also be highlighted with recent examples. At last, conclusions and some opinions on future perspectives of polymeric nanomaterials for subcellular-targeted biomedical applications will be briefly presented.