Exploring the impact of physicochemical properties of liposomal formulations on their in vivo fate

Liposomes, vesicles composed of a phospholipid bilayer, are considered a remarkably advanced drug delivery system due to their unique properties, including their biocompatibility and biodegradability, and their capability to reduce toxicity of encapsulated drugs. The in vivo fate of an encapsulated drug in the form of liposome depends on both the drug and the liposome characteristics and the patient pathophysiology. In this review, the impact of the physicochemical properties of liposomes (lipid composition, size and charge) on their pharmacokinetics (systemic absorption, distribution and clearance) was discussed. In the rest, a comprehensive overview of different mechanisms of liposomal uptake by the cells (fusion, lipid transfer, and endocytosis) was provided. The importance of lipid composition and size of liposomes, cell type, and protein corona for each uptake pathway was explained.