title: Variable nanoparticle-cell adhesion strength regulates cellular uptake.
abstract: In receptor-mediated endocytosis, cells exercise biochemical control over the mechanics of adhesion to engulf foreign particles, featuring a variable adhesion strength. Here we present a thermodynamic model with which we elucidate that the variable adhesion strength critically governs the cellular uptake, yielding an uptake phase diagram in the space of ligand density and particle size. We identify from the diagram an endocytosed phase with markedly high uptake, encompassed by a lower and an upper phase boundary that are set, respectively, by the enthalpic and entropic limits of the adhesion strength. The phase diagram may provide useful guidance to the rational design of nanoparticle-based therapeutic and diagnostic agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Ju
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Sulin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D002477:Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D004705:Endocytosis / Q000502:physiology*; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D053758:Nanoparticles; D010316:Particle Size; D044367:Phase Transition; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D008563:Membrane Lipids