Given their size, in the single-digit nanometer range, and the versatility of their functionality, dendrimers and other dendritic macromolecules are poised to make a significant contribution to the rapidly expanding fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology. This highlight focuses on nascent applications of dendrimers that take advantage of their structural features and polyvalent character. In particular, the concept of dendritic encapsulation of function, borrowed from Nature, can be applied to the design of a varied array of energy-harvesting, light-emitting, or catalytic macromolecules. Similarly, the compact size and hierarchical ordering of components within dendrimers make them ideal for exploring the limits of nanolithography. Finally, the presence of differentiated functionalities and the polyvalent character of dendrons and dendrimers constitute strong assets for their use in polymer therapeutics. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.