Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Reprogramming of TLR-Ferroptosis Signaling and Immunometabolic Pathways Overcomes Myeloid Suppression to Improve Checkpoint Blockade in Prostate Cancer.

Cancer research·2026
Same author

Surface Reconstruction in Hydrated Amphiphilic Block Copolymer Thin Films Probed by Fluid Cell Atomic Force Microscopy.

Macromolecules·2026
Same author

Insights into the Structure of Ultrasmall Fluorescent Core-Shell Silica Nanoparticles.

ACS nano·2026
Same author

An ultrasmall core-shell silica nanoparticle improves antitumour immunity and survival by remodelling suppressive melanoma microenvironments.

Nature nanotechnology·2025
Same author

Film surface assemblies from chemically distinct block copolymer micelles.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

Hierarchically ordered porous transition metal compounds from one-pot type 3D printing approaches.

Nature communications·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 17, 2026

An Integrated System to Remotely Trigger Intracellular Signal Transduction by Upconversion Nanoparticle-mediated Kinase Photoactivation
11:20

An Integrated System to Remotely Trigger Intracellular Signal Transduction by Upconversion Nanoparticle-mediated Kinase Photoactivation

Published on: August 30, 2017

7.8K

Enhanced Intracellular Delivery via Photochemical Internalization of Ultrasmall Fluorescent Core-Shell

Nada Naguib1,2, Jacob A Erstling1,2, James F Tallman1

  • 1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States.

ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering
|September 17, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Methylene blue-functionalized nanoparticles overcome endosomal entrapment for efficient cytosolic delivery. Ultrasmall core-shell particles enable controlled photochemical internalization and access to nuclear structures, advancing nanomedicine.

Keywords:
endosomal escapephotochemical internalizationultrasmall fluorescent nanoparticles

More Related Videos

Synthesis of Core-shell Lanthanide-doped Upconversion Nanocrystals for Cellular Applications
13:51

Synthesis of Core-shell Lanthanide-doped Upconversion Nanocrystals for Cellular Applications

Published on: November 10, 2017

15.8K
Facile Preparation and Photoactivation of Prodrug-Dye Nanoassemblies
08:54

Facile Preparation and Photoactivation of Prodrug-Dye Nanoassemblies

Published on: February 17, 2023

1.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 17, 2026

An Integrated System to Remotely Trigger Intracellular Signal Transduction by Upconversion Nanoparticle-mediated Kinase Photoactivation
11:20

An Integrated System to Remotely Trigger Intracellular Signal Transduction by Upconversion Nanoparticle-mediated Kinase Photoactivation

Published on: August 30, 2017

7.8K
Synthesis of Core-shell Lanthanide-doped Upconversion Nanocrystals for Cellular Applications
13:51

Synthesis of Core-shell Lanthanide-doped Upconversion Nanocrystals for Cellular Applications

Published on: November 10, 2017

15.8K
Facile Preparation and Photoactivation of Prodrug-Dye Nanoassemblies
08:54

Facile Preparation and Photoactivation of Prodrug-Dye Nanoassemblies

Published on: February 17, 2023

1.5K

Area of Science:

  • Nanotechnology
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Photochemistry

Background:

  • Nanoparticle drug delivery is hindered by endosomal entrapment, limiting cytosolic release and intracellular targeting.
  • Methylene blue (MB) and cyanine 3 (Cy3) are photosensitizers and fluorophores, respectively, with potential in photodynamic therapy and imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop ultrasmall, methylene blue-functionalized aluminosilicate nanoparticles for efficient intracellular delivery via photochemical internalization (PCI).
  • To investigate the impact of linker length on nanoparticle photophysical properties and cytosolic delivery efficiency.
  • To demonstrate the potential for controlled subcellular localization and sequential cargo delivery.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis of ultrasmall (4-5 nm) core-shell aluminosilicate nanoparticles encapsulating Cy3 and functionalized with MB via short (PEG4) or long (PEG14) linkers.
  • Photophysical characterization, including singlet oxygen quantum yield measurements.
  • Cellular uptake and intracellular trafficking studies in HeLa cells using live-cell imaging and confocal microscopy.
  • Optimization of red light illumination parameters for PCI.

Main Results:

  • Long-linker MB-PEG14-Cy3-aC'dots demonstrated superior cytosolic delivery despite lower singlet oxygen quantum yields compared to short-linker MB-PEG4-Cy3-aC'dots.
  • Optimized PCI protocols (15 min red light) achieved diffuse cytoplasmic distribution from endosomes with ~80% cell viability.
  • Ultrasmall nanoparticles efficiently translocated to the nucleus, indicating access to restricted intracellular compartments.
  • PCI treatment facilitated sequential delivery of secondary nanoparticles, suggesting endosomal fusion and membrane permeabilization.

Conclusions:

  • Nanoparticle design, specifically linker length, significantly impacts cytosolic delivery efficiency for PCI.
  • Ultrasmall MB-functionalized nanoparticles offer a versatile platform for controlled intracellular targeting and potential for multicargo delivery.
  • This approach overcomes endosomal entrapment, paving the way for enhanced precision nanomedicine applications.