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Calcium phosphate nanoparticles as versatile carrier for small and large molecules across cell membranes

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Abstract

The successful transport of molecules across the cell membrane is a key point in biology and medicine. In most cases, molecules alone cannot penetrate the cell membrane, therefore an efficient carrier is needed. Calcium phosphate nanoparticles (diameter: 100–250 nm, depending on the functionalization) were loaded with fluorescent oligonucleotides, peptide, proteins, antibodies, polymers or porphyrins and characterized by dynamic light scattering, nanoparticle tracking analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Any excess of molecules was removed by ultracentrifugation, and the dissolved molecules at the same concentration were used as control. The uptake of such fluorescence-labeled nanoparticles into HeLa cells was monitored by fluorescence microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Calcium phosphate nanoparticles were able to transport all molecules across the cell membrane, whereas the dissolved molecules alone were taken up only to a very small extent or even not at all.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Transregio 60) to A. M. W., J. B. and M. E. We thank Prof. Dr. Eric Metzen and Frank Splettstoesser for help with confocal laser scanning microscopy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Inorganic Chemistry and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CeNIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstr. 5-7, 45117, Essen, Germany

    Viktoriya Sokolova, Olga Rotan, Jan Klesing & Matthias Epple

  2. Faculty of Biology, Institute of Molecular Cell Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45117, Essen, Germany

    Perihan Nalbant

  3. Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147, Essen, Germany

    Jan Buer, Torben Knuschke & Astrid M. Westendorf

Authors
  1. Viktoriya Sokolova
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  2. Olga Rotan
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  3. Jan Klesing
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  4. Perihan Nalbant
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  5. Jan Buer
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  6. Torben Knuschke
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  7. Astrid M. Westendorf
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  8. Matthias Epple
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Correspondence to Matthias Epple.

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Sokolova, V., Rotan, O., Klesing, J. et al. Calcium phosphate nanoparticles as versatile carrier for small and large molecules across cell membranes. J Nanopart Res 14, 910 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-012-0910-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-012-0910-9

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