Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 13, 2026

Manufacture and Drug Delivery Applications of Silk Nanoparticles
09:03

Manufacture and Drug Delivery Applications of Silk Nanoparticles

Published on: October 8, 2016

16.7K

Nanoparticle-based drug delivery in cancer: the role of cell membrane structures

Serap Yalçın1, Özlem Özlüer2, Ufuk Gündüz3

  • 1Department of Food Engineering, Ahi Evran University, Kırsehir, Turkey.

Therapeutic Delivery
|October 30, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Novel drug-delivery systems face challenges like membrane barriers and drug resistance in cancer cells. This article explores how cell membrane structures influence nanoparticle interactions for improved cancer therapy.

Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Nanotechnology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Novel drug-delivery systems aim to enhance chemotherapy efficiency by targeting tumors and reducing side effects.
  • Cancer cells present significant challenges, including membrane barriers and multidrug resistance, hindering effective treatment.
  • Emerging research highlights the roles of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates in cellular processes relevant to drug delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the hypothesis linking cell membrane structure to nanoparticle interactions within cancer cells.
  • To understand how cellular components affect nanoparticle uptake and drug transport.
  • To identify potential strategies for overcoming barriers in cancer drug delivery.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and hypothesis formulation.
  • Analysis of existing data on nanoparticle-cell membrane interactions.
  • Discussion of the roles of membrane components (lipids, proteins, carbohydrates) in cellular uptake and drug resistance.

Main Results:

  • Cell membrane composition and structure significantly impact nanoparticle cellular uptake via endocytosis.
  • Lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates play crucial roles in mediating nanoparticle-cell interactions and drug transport.
  • Understanding these interactions is key to designing effective nanoparticle-based anticancer drug-delivery systems.

Conclusions:

  • The structure and composition of cancer cell membranes are critical determinants of nanoparticle drug-delivery system efficacy.
  • Targeting or modifying cell membrane components could enhance nanoparticle accumulation in tumors and overcome drug resistance.
  • Further research into membrane-nanoparticle interactions is essential for advancing targeted cancer chemotherapy.
Keywords:
cancercell membrane structuresnanoparticles

More Related Videos

Targeted Plasma Membrane Delivery of a Hydrophobic Cargo Encapsulated in a Liquid Crystal Nanoparticle Carrier10:16

Targeted Plasma Membrane Delivery of a Hydrophobic Cargo Encapsulated in a Liquid Crystal Nanoparticle Carrier

Published on: February 8, 2017

8.1K
Uptake of New Lipid-coated Nanoparticles Containing Falcarindiol by Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells09:34

Uptake of New Lipid-coated Nanoparticles Containing Falcarindiol by Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Published on: February 9, 2019

9.5K

Related Concept Videos

Cellular Membranes and Drug Transport01:24

Cellular Membranes and Drug Transport

Drugs must traverse multiple biological barriers, such as multi-layered skin, single-layered intestinal epithelium, and the plasma membrane, to reach their target sites within the body. The plasma membrane, a highly structured composite of phospholipids, carbohydrates, and proteins, is the cell's protective boundary, facilitating selective substance exchange.
Phospholipids arrange themselves into a bilayer, with hydrophilic heads oriented outward and hydrophobic tails facing inward.
2.0K
Site-Targeted Drug Delivery Systems: Polymeric Carriers01:24

Site-Targeted Drug Delivery Systems: Polymeric Carriers

Polymeric carriers enhance targeted drug delivery by increasing efficacy while minimizing off-target effects. These carriers comprise a biodegradable polymeric backbone integrated with functional elements that enable targeting, improve physicochemical properties, and regulate drug release.Targeting MechanismsThe targeting ability of polymeric carriers is mediated by a homing device, which is a molecular recognition component designed to selectively bind to specific tissues or cells. Monoclonal...
79
Modified-Release Drug Delivery Systems: Site-Targeted01:24

Modified-Release Drug Delivery Systems: Site-Targeted

Site-targeted drug delivery systems enhance therapeutic efficacy while minimizing systemic toxicity and treatment costs. Unlike conventional methods, these systems ensure precise drug delivery, improving bioavailability and reducing side effects. Targeted drug delivery is classified into three levels. First-order targeting directs drugs to the capillary beds of specific organs or tissues. Second-order targets specific cell types, such as tumor cells, using receptor-mediated interactions.
70
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
9.1K
Mechanisms of Drug Absorption: Paracellular, Transcellular, and Vesicular Transport01:23

Mechanisms of Drug Absorption: Paracellular, Transcellular, and Vesicular Transport

Drugs need to permeate cell membranes to reach their target sites after administration. Orally administered drugs must transcend intestinal epithelial membrane barriers to infiltrate the systemic circulation. Drugs with a molecular weight of less than 500 Daltons diffuse through gaps between neighboring cells, called paracellular pathways.
However, most drugs use the transcellular route, traversing directly through the cell membranes via two mechanisms: passive and active transport. Passive...
2.3K
Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia01:35

Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia

Invadosome is a broad category of cell surface structures with proteolytic activity that  degrades the extracellular matrix (ECM). Invadosomes are present in normal cell types, including macrophages, endothelial cells, and neurons, as well as tumor cells. Although the macrophage podosomes and tumor cell invadopodia are classified as invadosomes, they have different structures, molecular pathways, and functions. Podosomes are short structures that last for a few minutes. However,...
3.4K