Year: 2011
Type: article
Abstract: We present a simple two-state model to understand the size-dependent endocytosis of nanoparticles. Using this model, we elucidate the relevant energy terms required to understand the size-dependent uptake mechanism and verify it by correctly predicting the behavior at large and small particle sizes. In the absence of interactions between the nanoparticles, we observe an asymmetric distribution of sizes with maximum uptake at intermediate sizes and a minimum size cut-off below which there can be no endocytosis. Including the effect of interactions in our model has remarkable effects on the uptake characteristics. Attractive interactions shift the minimum size cut-off and increase the optimal uptake while repulsive interactions make the distribution more symmetric lowering the optimal uptake.
Source: Physical Biology
Authors: Abhishek Chaudhuri, Giuseppe Battaglia, Ramin Golestanian
Institutions: University of Sheffield, University of Oxford
Language: English
Subfield: Biomaterials
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2021641309