ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the influence of nanotechnology on the development of vaccines. Nanotechnology may offer the possibility to design novel, more effective vaccines. The nanoparticulate carrier systems should be of appropriate size, have favorable surface parameters for immune recognition, be targeted to antigen-presenting cells, and be suitable for the inclusion of the respective antigen. The human immune system has evolved to recognize antigenic properties of pathogens and initiate an immune response resulting in the restriction of the pathogen from entering the body or in the clearance of the pathogen after infection. When pathogens overcome the barriers formed by the skin and the mucosae and gain access to the body’s soft tissues, the innate immune system detects the invading agent and is activated as a fast and early-stage immune response. By applying antigenic structures of the pathogen to the body without inducing the disease, immunological memory is elicited.
