title: Receptor-Mediated Endocytosis of Two-Dimensional Nanomaterials Undergoes Flat Vesiculation and Occurs by Revolution and Self-Rotation.
abstract: Two-dimensional nanomaterials, such as graphene and transitional metal dichalcogenide nanosheets, are promising materials for the development of antimicrobial surfaces and the nanocarriers for intracellular therapy. Understanding cell interaction with these emerging materials is an urgently important issue to promoting their wide applications. Experimental studies suggest that two-dimensional nanomaterials enter cells mainly through receptor-mediated endocytosis. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms and kinetic pathways of such processes remain unknown. Here, we combine computer simulations and theoretical derivation of the energy within the system to show that the receptor-mediated transport of two-dimensional nanomaterials, such as graphene nanosheet across model lipid membrane, experiences a flat vesiculation event governed by the receptor density and membrane tension. The graphene nanosheet is found to undergo revolution relative to the membrane and, particularly, unique self-rotation around its normal during membrane wrapping. We derive explicit expressions for the formation of the flat vesiculation, which reveals that the flat vesiculation event can be fundamentally dominated by a dimensionless parameter and a defined relationship determined by complicated energy contributions. The mechanism offers an essential understanding on the cellular internalization and cytotoxicity of the emerging two-dimensional nanomaterials.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials (MOE), Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials (MOE), Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Pengyu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials (MOE), Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Junshi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials (MOE), Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Ruohai
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials (MOE), Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Li-Tang
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Yan
keywords: flat vesiculation; graphene nanosheet; receptor-mediated endocytosis; theoretical analysis; transmembrane transport; two-dimensional nanomaterial