When nanoparticles are used for drug delivery, they often end up in the liver or spleen instead of the intended target.
A team led by Jacob S. Brenner and Vladimir Muzykantov of the University of Pennsylvania now shows that nanocarrier delivery can be improved by the having the nanocarriers “hitchhike” on red blood cells (Nat. Commun. 2018, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05079-7). The researchers withdrew red blood cells from mice and incubated them with nanoparticles, which adsorbed on the cell surface.
They then injected the cells back into the animals through arterial catheters. When injected this way, the nanocarriers accumulate in the first organ they encounter downstream from the injection site. The researchers think the narrow capillaries cause the nanoparticles to detach from the blood cells and transfer to the cells lining the capillaries.
Image Credit: Nat. Commun
News This Week
A cell-killing strategy to slow aging passed its first test this year
A red-hot anti-aging strategy quietly passed its first test earlier this year after 14 volunteers took drugs meant to kill off old, toxic cells in their bodies. The small study in people with [...]
Laboratory’s nanopore research hits a nerve
Since the discovery of biological ion channels and their role in physiology, scientists have attempted to create man-made structures that mimic their biological counterparts. New research by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists and [...]
Warm-cold-textile developed – fibers with nano-coating
Sometimes it is too cold for us and then too warm again - annoying dressing-undressing of sweaters and co. Is therefore required. However, that may change: researchers have developed a sophisticated textile that can [...]
Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine, and AI: What is Global Health Care Equivalency (GHCE)
What is Global Health Care Equivalency (GHCE)? Looking ahead over the next 10-30 years, with the rapid emergence of, and synergies between, the disciplines of nanotechnology, nanomedicine, and AI, we can envisage a future [...]
What keeps spiders on the ceiling?
Hunting spiders easily climb vertical surfaces or move upside down on the ceiling. A thousand tiny hairs at the ends of their legs make sure they do not fall off. Like the spider’s [...]
Nanoparticles may promote cancer metastasis
Nanoparticles can be found in processed food (e.g. food additives), consumer products (e.g. sunscreen) and even in medicine. While these tiny particles could have large untapped potential and novel new applications, they may [...]
Meet the quantum fridge – at three atoms in size, it’s much smaller than a minibar
Researchers in Singapore have built a refrigerator that’s just three atoms big. This quantum fridge won’t keep your drinks cold, but it’s cool proof of physics operating at the smallest scales. The work is [...]
Video – Johannes Lierfeld ‘The control problem of Artificial Intelligence as an ethical challenge’
Note: This videoblog is in German. It was produced by the Institute of Art & Art Theory of the University of Cologne. Humanity faces epochal challenges in the age of digitization. In particular, [...]
Leave A Comment