ABSTRACT
Brain targeting still represents a major therapeutic challenge: drug delivery to the brain is strictly regulated by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which imposes an overwhelming obstacle for many central nervous system active drugs. The BBB is responsible for the homeostatic mechanism of defence of the brain against foreign substances, including toxic molecules and pathogens. The increasing incidence of brain-related pathologies and the hurdles which undermine the development of efficient and effective strategies have pushed both researchers and the pharmaceutical industry to search for novel therapeutic alternatives. Cell ghosts, as nanosize biosystems devoid of their intracellular components, retain, however, the majority of their membrane proteins and lipids, which can be channeled to active or passive targeting. Nanotheranostics, by integrating diagnostic and therapeutic functions in a single system, holds the benefits of nanotechnology and opens avenues in oncology and the personalised medicine research field.
