title: In vivo degeneration and the fate of inorganic nanoparticles.
abstract: What happens to inorganic nanoparticles (NPs), such as plasmonic gold or silver, superparamagnetic iron oxide, or fluorescent quantum dot NPs after they have been administrated to a living being? This review discusses the integrity, biodistribution, and fate of NPs after in vivo administration. The hybrid nature of the NPs is described, conceptually divided into the inorganic core, the engineered surface coating comprising of the ligand shell and optionally also bio-conjugates, and the corona of adsorbed biological molecules. Empirical evidence shows that all of these three compounds may degrade individually in vivo and can drastically modify the life cycle and biodistribution of the whole heterostructure. Thus, the NPs may be decomposed into different parts, whose biodistribution and fate would need to be analyzed individually. Multiple labeling and quantification strategies for such a purpose will be discussed. All reviewed data indicate that NPs in vivo should no longer be considered as homogeneous entities, but should be seen as inorganic/organic/biological nano-hybrids with complex and intricately linked distribution and degradation pathways.
authors: Advanced Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine (ACTREM), Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Ear, Nose and Throat, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden and Fachbereich Physik, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany. wolfgang.parak@physik.uni-marburg.de.
authors: Neus
authors: N
authors: Feliu
authors: Department of Nanobiomedicine, ENT/University Medical Center of Mainz, Mainz, Germany. roland.stauber@unimedizin-mainz.de.
authors: Dominic
authors: D
authors: Docter
authors: Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. nielsen@uke.uni-hamburg.de.
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Heine
authors: Fachbereich Physik, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany. wolfgang.parak@physik.uni-marburg.de and Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS) and Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain and CIC biomaGUNE, 20009 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.
authors: Pablo
authors: P
authors: Del Pino
authors: Fachbereich Physik, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany. wolfgang.parak@physik.uni-marburg.de.
authors: Sumaira
authors: S
authors: Ashraf
authors: Laboratoire Matière et Systèmes Complexes, UMR 7057 CNRS/Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France. florence.gazeau@univ-paris-diderot.fr.
authors: Jelena
authors: J
authors: Kolosnjaj-Tabi
authors: Advanced Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine (ACTREM), Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Ear, Nose and Throat, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Macchiarini
authors: Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. nielsen@uke.uni-hamburg.de.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Nielsen
authors: Laboratoire Matériaux et Phénomènes Quantiques, UMR 7162 CNRS/Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France. damien.alloyeau@univ-paris-diderot.fr.
authors: Damien
authors: D
authors: Alloyeau
authors: Laboratoire Matière et Systèmes Complexes, UMR 7057 CNRS/Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France. florence.gazeau@univ-paris-diderot.fr.
authors: Florence
authors: F
authors: Gazeau
authors: Department of Nanobiomedicine, ENT/University Medical Center of Mainz, Mainz, Germany. roland.stauber@unimedizin-mainz.de.
authors: Roland H
authors: RH
authors: Stauber
authors: Fachbereich Physik, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany. wolfgang.parak@physik.uni-marburg.de and CIC biomaGUNE, 20009 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.
authors: Wolfgang J
authors: WJ
authors: Parak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001711:Biotransformation; D004738:Engineering; D006801:Humans; D007287:Inorganic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D053758:Nanoparticles; D000066970:Protein Corona / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D007287:Inorganic Chemicals; D000066970:Protein Corona