Dendrimer-based magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles: their synthesis and biomedical applications

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIO NPs) bearing different appropriate surface modifications can be prepared using diverse physical and chemical methods. As an ideal macromolecule, dendrimers have attracted considerable attention because of their unique properties, including their three 3D architecture, monodispersity, highly branched macromolecular characteristics, and tunable terminal functionalities. These properties make dendrimers a powerful nanoplatform for the creation of functional organic and/or inorganic hybrid NPs, in particular dendrimer-based MIO NPs. Here, we report on recent advances in the preparation of dendrimer-based MIO NPs for different biomedical applications, such as magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, drug and gene delivery, and protein immobilization.