Limitations of transmembrane transport in drug delivery

The plasma membrane of all living cells controls the flow of substances, energy as well as information, between the internal cell order and surrounding cell disorder. There are three general routes along which substances may cross this barrier; free diffusion, passive and active transport, and endocytic processes. The subject of polymer drugs where biologically inert polymers bear therapeutically active low molecular weight drugs and targeting moiety became a popular issue in last decade. This review is devoted to the question of the interaction of drugs with the plasma membrane and their transport across it. As the polymer-drug conjugates are macromolecular substances, the main emphasis is focused on the problems of phagocytosis and pinocytosis.