The influence of the size and aspect ratio of anisotropic, porous CaCO3 particles on their uptake by cells.
BACKGROUND
Recent reports highlighting the role of particle geometry have suggested that anisotropy can affect the rate and the pathway of particle uptake by cells. Therefore, we investigate the internalization by cells of porous calcium carbonate particles with different shapes and anisotropies.


RESULTS
We report here on a new method of the synthesis of polyelectrolyte coated calcium carbonate particles whose geometry was controlled by varying the mixing speed and time, pH value of the reaction solution, and ratio of the interacting salts used for particle formation. Uptake of spherical, cuboidal, ellipsoidal (with two different sizes) polyelectrolyte coated calcium carbonate particles was studied in cervical carcinoma cells. Quantitative data were obtained from the analysis of confocal laser scanning microscopy images.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that the number of internalized calcium carbonate particles depends on the aspect ratio of the particle, whereby elongated particles (higher aspect ratio) are internalized with a higher frequency than more spherical particles (lower aspect ratio). The total volume of internalized particles scales with the volume of the individual particles, in case equal amount of particles were added per cell.
Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, Russia. parbogd@crys.ras.ru.|Institute of Nanostructures and Biosystems, Saratov State University, Saratov, Russia. parbogd@crys.ras.ru.
Bogdan
B
Parakhonskiy
Fachbereich Physik, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany. mikhail.zyuzin@physik.uni-marburg.de.
Mikhail V
MV
Zyuzin
Institute of Nanostructures and Biosystems, Saratov State University, Saratov, Russia. alexey.yashchenok@mpikg.mpg.de.|Department of Interfaces, Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany. alexey.yashchenok@mpikg.mpg.de.
Alexey
A
Yashchenok
Fachbereich Physik, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany. scarregal.biodonostia@cicbiomagune.es.
Susana
S
Carregal-Romero
Fachbereich Physik, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany. asiarej@yahoo.com.
Joanna
J
Rejman
Department of Interfaces, Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany. Helmuth.Moehwald@mpikg.mpg.de.
Helmuth
H
Möhwald
Fachbereich Physik, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany. Wolfgang.Parak@physik.uni-marburg.de.
Wolfgang J
WJ
Parak
Department of Interfaces, Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany. Andre.Skirtach@UGent.be.|NanoBio-Photonics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. Andre.Skirtach@UGent.be.|Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. Andre.Skirtach@UGent.be.
Andre G
AG
Skirtach
D016880:Anisotropy; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000378:metabolism*; D004705:Endocytosis; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D010316:Particle Size; D016062:Porosity
D002119:Calcium Carbonate