However, clinical troubles have been limiting this technique due to insufficient gene transfer, lack of prolonged gene expression, or immunorejection of producer cells. One promising technology is the selleck development of new biomaterial components with the capacity of enveloping genetically engineered cells producing and distributing the drug therapy, and, at the same time, to be isolated from immune system. This technology includes, among others, the liposomes representing a potential delivery system for specific proteins and growth factors to brain

damage, where Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical different producer cells may be isolated from the microenvironmental factors [20]. Liposomes are spherical vesicle structures composed of a uni- or multilamellar lipid bilayer surrounding internal aqueous compartments and a relatively impermeable outer lipophilic phospholipid Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical bilayer (Figure 1). Liposomes have gained considerable attention as drug delivery carriers because they are biocompatible, nontoxic, can deliver both hydrophilic and lipophilic drug molecules, protect their cargo from degradation by plasma enzymes, and transport their load across biological membranes and the BBB [21, 22]. Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical Figure 1 Schematic representation of the basic structure of unilamellar liposomes (a) and multilamellar liposomes (b). The aqueous core of the

liposome, loaded with the drug, is surrounded by a phospholipid bilayer. Overall, this paper provides an overview of progress in liposome technology, summarizing Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical the last patents and news related to liposomes, demonstrating the potential of this technology for the development of novel neurotherapeutics and its applications in Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. 2. Blood-Brain Barrier The central nervous system (CNS) barriers are composed by BBB and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (B-CSFB). The BBB and B-CSFB are a highly specialized

brain endothelial and epithelial structure Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical of the fully differentiated neurovascular system. These barriers separate components of the circulating blood from neurons. Moreover, the BBB and B-CSFB maintain the chemical composition of the neuronal “milieu,” which is required for the Tryptophan synthase proper functioning of neuronal circuits, synaptic transmission, synaptic remodelling, angiogenesis, and neurogenesis in the adult brain. Three barrier layers regulate molecular exchange at the interfaces between blood and the neural tissue or its fluid spaces: the BBB formed by the cerebrovascular endothelial cells between blood and brain interstitial fluid, the B-CSFB formed by the choroid plexus epithelium between blood and ventricular CSF, and the third barrier is the arachnoids epithelium between blood and subarachnoid CSF.