Scientists from The Methodist Hospital Research Institute (TMHRI) and other institutions have come up with two papers discussing the shapes of nanoparticles that would improve the delivery of DNA payloads and nanoparticle drugs.
Arrays of discoidal particles sitting on a silicon wafer and fabricated by a photolithographic process.
These scientists have decided that nanoparticles should be disc-shaped when being utilized for fighting cancer in blood vessels.
Paolo Decuzzi a biomedical engineer at TMHRI, highlighted the disadvantages of using spherical nanoparticles. According to Decuzzi these nanoparticles are not capable of delivering large quantities of drugs as they are small and have all chances of being pushed by a heavy flow of blood. The spherical nanoparticles expose a small surface to the blood vessel walls and do not provide a firm support to the tumor tissue, thus preventing accumulation of nanoparticles in the tumor tissue that is diseased. Such ill effects of using spherical nanoparticles have urged laboratories to ponder on measurers of changing the shape of the nanopaticles and increasing the accumulation of nanoparticles in cancer effected tissues.
Mauro Ferrari President and CEO of TMHRI also leading The Methodist nanomedicine group, has invented a new technique that focuses on using photolithographic technology to make disc-shaped nanoparticles. The shape, surface properties and size of the nanoparticles are changed with the use of photolithography. This technology helps in building sponge-like holes in the nanoparticles and drugs are filled in these holes. In this new technique the nanoparticles are formed with silicon and the outer side of these nanoparticles are attached with molecules that are biologically relevant in order to prevent destruction of the immune system and improve binding of target cells.
In the second paper the scientists prove that disc-shaped nanoparticles bind readily and have better concentrations in comparison with spherical nanoparticles.
Decuzzi concluded by stating that he and his group of scientists will continue to focus on improving the surface property, shape and size of nanoparticles by simultaneously concentrating on enhancing the nanoparticles with suitable flexibility or stiffness.
Source: http://www.methodisthealth.com
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