Bamboo leaf-like micro-nano sheets self-assembled by block copolymers as wafers for cells

Bamboo leaf shaped poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PEO-b-PCL) sheets were prepared via crystallization-driven self-assembly. By selecting an appropriate mixed solvent, the polymer sheets, with a PCL single-crystal layer sandwiched by two PEO layers, were obtained efficiently. The morphology and structure of the sheets were characterized by microscopes and diffraction techniques. As a non-spherical model particle, endocytosis of the sheets was investigated on RAW 264.7, U937, HUVECs, HeLa, and 293 T cells. The polymer sheets, just like wafers for cells, displayed a selective internalization to different cells, which showed a potential application in accurate cell targeting drug delivery and imaging.