Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Estimation of Urinary Nanocrystals in Humans using Calcium Fluorophore Labeling and Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis
07:45

Estimation of Urinary Nanocrystals in Humans using Calcium Fluorophore Labeling and Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis

Published on: February 9, 2021

4.0K

Calcium-binding nanoparticles for vascular disease

Deborah D Chin1, Sampreeti Chowdhuri1, Eun Ji Chung1,2,3,4,5,6

  • 1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Regenerative Engineering and Translational Medicine
|May 21, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) involves calcified plaques in blood vessels, increasing rupture risk. Novel nanoparticles offer advanced imaging to detect vascular calcification and plaque composition, improving diagnostics for atherosclerosis.

Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Cardiovascular Research
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading global cause of mortality.
  • Atherosclerosis involves plaque calcification, linked to plaque rupture and acute myocardial infarction.
  • Current imaging techniques for vascular calcification lack detail on plaque composition and structure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of calcification in atherosclerosis and plaque instability.
  • To summarize current clinical methods for detecting vascular calcification.
  • To highlight the potential of nanoparticles for improved calcium detection.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of calcification in atherosclerosis.
  • Analysis of current clinical imaging modalities.
  • Exploration of nanoparticle-based imaging strategies.

Main Results:

  • Vascular calcification is a critical factor in atherosclerotic plaque instability.
  • Existing imaging methods have limitations in assessing plaque composition.
  • Nanoparticles offer a versatile platform for targeted imaging agents.

Conclusions:

  • Nanoparticles can overcome limitations of current imaging methods for vascular calcification.
  • Calcium-targeting ligands and nanoparticles show promise for novel diagnostic tools.
  • Advanced nanoparticle-based imaging could improve the understanding and management of atherosclerosis.

Keywords:
Cardiovascular diseaseDrug deliveryImagingNanoparticlePeptidesVascular calcification

More Related Videos

Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease08:50

Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease

Published on: June 16, 2014

16.7K
Orthotopic Aortic Transplantation in Mice for the Study of Vascular Disease09:06

Orthotopic Aortic Transplantation in Mice for the Study of Vascular Disease

Published on: November 28, 2012

11.4K

Related Concept Videos

The Equilibrium Binding Constant and Binding Strength02:18

The Equilibrium Binding Constant and Binding Strength

The equilibrium binding constant (Kb) quantifies the strength of a protein-ligand interaction. Kb can be calculated as follows when the reaction is at equilibrium:
14.9K
The Equilibrium Binding Constant and Binding Strength02:18

The Equilibrium Binding Constant and Binding Strength

10.0K
Seedless Vascular Plants03:24

Seedless Vascular Plants

Seedless Vascular Plants Were the First Tall Plants on Earth
66.7K
Ligand Binding Sites02:40

Ligand Binding Sites

Proteins are dynamic macromolecules that carry out a wide variety of essential processes; however, the activities of most proteins depend on their interactions with other molecules or ions, known as ligands.
Protein-ligand interactions are quite specific; even though numerous potential ligands surround a cellular protein at any given time, only a particular ligand can bind to that protein. Moreover, a ligand binds only to a dedicated area on the surface of the protein, known as the...
14.9K
Conserved Binding Sites01:49

Conserved Binding Sites

Many proteins’ biological role depends on their interactions with their ligands, small molecules that bind to specific locations on the protein known as ligand-binding sites. Ligand-binding sites are often conserved among homologous proteins as these sites are critical for protein function.
Binding sites are often located in large pockets, and if their location on a protein’s surface is unknown, it can be predicted using various approaches. The energetic method computationally...
5.1K
Ligand Binding and Linkage00:49

Ligand Binding and Linkage

Allosteric proteins have more than one ligand binding site; the binding of a ligand to any of these sites influences the binding of ligands to the other sites. When a protein is allosteric, its binding sites are called coupled or linked.  In the case of enzymes, the site that binds to the substrate is known as the active site and the other site is known as the regulatory site. When a ligand binds to the regulatory site, this leads to conformational changes in the protein that can influence...
5.5K