Polymeric micelles with tunable channels

This article describes a novel type of polymeric micelles with tunable channels (PMTC), which are usually composed of a common core and a mixed shell of two different kinds of polymer chains with at least one of them being stimuli-responsive. Phase separation of the mixed shell upon stimuli results in channels between the micelle core and the outer milieu for controlling mass exchange. Channel-modulated drug release and catalysis based on PMTC are discussed. The PMTC have peculiar merits including facile manipulation of drug release rate and catalytic velocity, remarkable restraint of burst drug release, and efficient prevention of degradation of the micelle core due to their unique structure. Finally, prospects and challenges of PMTC are reviewed.