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Published on: March 5, 2021
Observation of nanoparticle internalization on cellular membranes by using noninterferometric widefield optical
Chun-Chieh Wang1, Chia-Wei Lee, Chia-Yun Huang
1Graduate Institute of Physics, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi 62102, Taiwan.
Applied Optics
|May 2, 2008
Summary
We observed gold nanoparticle internalization in living cell membranes using noninterferometric widefield optical profilometry (NIWOP). This technique tracks particle height, revealing endocytosis and associated actin aggregation.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Cell Biology
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Understanding nanoparticle-cell interactions is crucial for nanomedicine and toxicology.
- Visualizing nanoparticle uptake in real-time within living cells remains a challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate a novel optical method for observing gold nanoparticle internalization in live cell membranes.
- To characterize the process of nanoparticle uptake and identify associated cellular mechanisms.
Main Methods:
- Utilized noninterferometric widefield optical profilometry (NIWOP) to track the height of 80 nm gold nanoparticles on cell membranes.
- Employed scattering and reflection signals for depth resolution, achieving nearly 20 nm accuracy.
- Combined NIWOP with fluorescence microscopy to visualize cellular structures.
Main Results:
- Successfully observed and quantified gold nanoparticle internalization by measuring changes in particle height relative to the cell membrane.
- Demonstrated NIWOP's capability to detect internalization events with high depth resolution.
- Observed actin aggregation at the site of nanoparticle internalization, indicating active endocytosis.
Conclusions:
- NIWOP is an effective technique for real-time observation of nanoparticle internalization in living cells.
- The study provides insights into the cellular mechanisms, specifically endocytosis, involved in nanoparticle uptake.
- This method has potential applications in studying nanoparticle-biomolecular interactions and drug delivery systems.
