Description
- Abstract:
- A fundamental understanding of cell-nanomaterial interaction is essential for biomedical diagnostics, therapeutics, and nanotoxicity. Here we perform theoretical analysis to investigate the cellular uptake of elastic nanoparticles and one- and two- dimensional rigid nanomaterials. We first show that the extent of adhesive wrapping of an elastic soft nanoparticle by a lipid membrane depends on the particle size, adhesion energy, membrane tension, and bending stiffness ratio between the nanoparticle and membrane. There exist five possible wrapping phases based on the stability of full wrapping, partial wrapping, and no wrapping states. Based on these wrapping phases, we determine the wrapping phase diagrams for cellular uptake of elastic nanoparticles in two and three dimensions. We find that stiffer particles can achieve full wrapping more easily than softer particles. Our results suggest that precise control of the particle elasticity can be a new way to control cellular uptake and drug delivery processes. In another study on the cell uptake of one-dimensional nanomaterials, we show that cell uptake of one-dimensional nanomaterials via receptor-mediated endocytosis is dominated by a single dimensionless parameter that scales with the membrane tension and radius of the nanomaterial and inversely with the membrane bending stiffness. As cell membrane internalizes one-dimensional nanomaterials the uptake follows a near-perpendicular entry mode at small membrane tension but it switches to a near-parallel interaction mode at large membrane tension. This tension-dependent uptake behavior is ubiquitous in the interplay between cell membranes and one-dimensional nanomaterials including nanotubes, nanowires, filamentous bacteria, and certain nanoparticle chains. It also provides a mechanism for the size maintenance of filopodia. Lastly, we investigate the interaction between cell membranes and microsized rigid two-dimensional nanomaterials such as graphene-family nanomaterials. We show that a microsized two-dimensional transmembrane nanomaterial always tends to rotate toward an orthogonal configuration with respect to cell membranes. The main driving force of such a rotation comes from both splay and membrane tension energies. In contrast, membrane wrapping of two-dimensional nanomaterials are independent of tension and surface adhering is energetically favorable compared with other inclined configurations.
- Notes:
- Thesis (Ph.D. -- Brown University (2014)
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Citation
Yi, Xin,
"Effects of Elasticity and Geometry on Cellular Uptake of Nanoparticles"
(2014).
Mechanics of Solids Theses and Dissertations.
Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library.
https://doi.org/10.7301/Z0QV3JWM
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Mechanics of Solids Theses and Dissertations
Theses and Dissertations for the Mechanics of Solids department....