• Whole Cell-Based Drug Delivery: Emerging Frontiers
  • Ali Ahangar,1 Mohammadamin Kalantari,2 Nargess Abdali,3,*
    1. Department of Biology, Sari branch, Islamic Azad university, Sari, Iran
    2. Department of Biology, Sari branch, Islamic Azad university, Sari, Iran
    3. Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Science, Khorramabad, Iran


  • Introduction: Recently, whole cell-based drug delivery systems (WC-DDS) have emerged as a prominent area of research. The selection of specific cell types for drug delivery, while preserving their structure and function, is of significant value.
  • Methods: All articles containing the terms "drug delivery" and "Whole Cell" were reviewed without any historical limitations.
  • Results: Whole Cell delivery systems (WCDS) can be classified into three categories:1. Whole Cell-Cell Delivery Systems (WC-CDS): These systems aim to achieve cell-based therapies, such as the injection of stem cells into joints, the heart, etc. 2. Whole Cell-Gene Delivery Systems (WC-GDS): These systems are designed to address genetic deficiencies, for instance gene therapy for inherited disorders like cystic fibrosis or hemophilia. 3.Whole Cell-Drug Delivery Systems (WC-DDS): That is the focus of this article, these systems aim to protect, deliver, and release drugs at the target tissue. This category encompasses both therapeutic and diagnostic agents. Within the WC-DDS category, various cell types have been utilized for targeted drug delivery: a. Blood cells, such as RBC, have a history of carrying drugs like antibiotics and enzymes to diverse target tissues, including the spleen, liver, and lungs. b. Stem Cell, (NSCs and MSCs), have been used in both natural and synthetic forms to deliver drugs to target tissues. c. Cancer cells use of cancer cell membrane-coated nanoparticles (NPs) for cancer therapy. d. Bacteria (like OMVs) for targeted cancer drug delivery. e. Immune cells, such as macrophages, dendritic cells, and T cells, possess inherent capabilities to migrate towards sites of inflammation or tumors
  • Conclusion: The introduction of new cell types and innovative applications within this domain will undoubtedly open new horizons for this technology.
  • Keywords: Whole Cell-Based Drug Delivery Cell-Based Therapies Gene Therapy Targeted Drug Delivery Cancer Thera