Enhanced Cellular Uptake of Bowl-like Microcapsules

Among several properties of colloidal particles, shape is emerging as an important parameter for tailoring the interactions between particles and cells. In this study, bowl-like multilayer microcapsules were prepared by osmotic-induced invagination of their spherical counterparts in a concentrated polyelectrolyte solution. The internalization behaviors of bowl-like and spherical microcapsules were compared by coincubation with smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and macrophages. The bowl-like capsules tended to attach onto the cell membranes from the bend side and could be enwrapped by the membranes of SMCs, leading to a faster uptake rate and larger accumulation inside cells than those of their spherical counterparts. These results are important for understanding the shape-dependent internalization behavior, providing useful guidance for further materials design especially in biomedical applications.