Abstract
Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are considered a highly promising candidate for novel the drug delivery systems (DDSs) due to the possibility of controlling their functionalizable pores, their large pore volume, high loading cavities and biocompatibility. MSNs functionalized with stimuli-responsive polymers have been demonstrated to represent a controllable and smart drug delivery application able to release drugs in response to certain stimuli, including pH, temperature, light, enzyme or redox. The surface of the MSNs is coated with stimuli-responsive polymer brushes so as to increase the stability and extend the release period of the loaded drug. This minireview highlights the latest research developments of polymer-brush-grafted MSNs and their potential biomedical applications in this area.