Surface Modification of Liposomes Using Folic Acid.

Liposomes are usually defined as spherically shaped microscopic vesicles that consist of one or more phospholipid bilayer membranes. They are widely used in drug delivery due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and stability. In recent years, a growing body of research shows that folic acid (FA)-modified liposomes can be targeted to deliver therapeutics to tumor and inflammation sites via receptor-mediated endocytosis between FA and folate receptor (FR). Taking this advantage, FA-modified liposomes are usually used in the targeted treatment of cancer, atherosclerosis, and arthrosis. In this chapter, we provided a classical thin-film hydration method to prepare FA-modified liposomes. We expect that our strategies would provide new opportunities for the development of FA-modified liposomes for research and clinical uses.