Dendrimers have shown great promise as carriers in drug delivery due to their unique structures and superior properties. However, the precise control of payload release from a
dendrimer matrix still presents a great challenge. Stimuli-responsive
dendrimers that release payloads in response to a specific trigger could offer distinct clinical advantages over those
dendrimers that release payloads passively. These
smart polymers are designed to specifically release their payloads at targeted regions or at constant release profiles for specific
therapies. They represent an attractive alternative to targeted
dendrimers and enable
dendrimer-based
therapeutics to be more effective, more convenient, and much safer. The wide range of stimuli, either endogenous (
acid,
enzyme, and redox potentials) or exogenous (light, ultrasound, and temperature change), allows great flexibility in the design of stimuli-responsive
dendrimers. In this review article, we will highlight recent advances and opportunities in the development of stimuli-responsive
dendrimers for the treatment of various diseases, with emphasis on
cancer. Specifically, the applications of stimuli-responsive
dendrimers in drug delivery as well as their mechanisms are intensively reviewed.