Reasons and remedies for the agglomeration of multilayered graphene and carbon nanotubes in polymers

• Rasheed Atif and
• Fawad Inam

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 1174–1196, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.109

• bones. However, some researchers reported that CNTs exhibit cytotoxicity to human dermal cells. Potential health hazards could also arise from inhalation. The discrepancy in such biocompatibility results can be attributed to the complicated physicochemical interactions between CNTs and biological cells

• nanocomposites and to gain knowledge about their biocompatibility and performance in living organisms. One of the main issues in the production of polymer nanocomposites is the dispersion state of fillers, because MLG and CNTs tend to agglomerate due to van der Waals forces. The agglomeration can be avoided by

Multiwalled carbon nanotube hybrids as MRI contrast agents

• Nikodem Kuźnik and
• Mateusz M. Tomczyk

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 1086–1103, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.102

• biocompatibility and thus biodistribution which is followed, finally, by surface modifications leading to amphiphilic or specifically targeted behavior. Moreover, their magnetic, electric and photoluminescence properties can be adjusted and exploited for desired modalities. There are visions on the application of

• their potential as CAs exclusively in one of the MRI modes (T1 or T2). Further requirements consisted in better biocompatibility with the targeting of tumor cells, coupling with stem cells as well as crossing the cell membrane and blood–brain barrier. Finally, involving CNT activity in other diagnostic

• nanoparticles belong to the group of SPIOs known as MRI CAs [46][47], while the resulting behavior after coupling with MWCNT is determined as an entire, new SPIO–MWCNT hybrid. More thorough studies of SPIO impact on the properties and biocompatibility of hybrids should be encouraged. Magnetic properties The

Improved biocompatibility and efficient labeling of neural stem cells with poly(L-lysine)-coated maghemite nanoparticles

• Igor M. Pongrac,
• Marina Dobrivojević,
• Lada Brkić Ahmed,
• Michal Babič,
• Miroslav Šlouf,
• Daniel Horák and
• Srećko Gajović

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 926–936, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.84

• . Their properties can be modified by coating with different biocompatible polymers. To test if a coating polymer, poly(L-lysine), can improve the biocompatibility of nanoparticles applied to neural stem cells, poly(L-lysine)-coated maghemite nanoparticles were prepared and characterized. We evaluated

• -lysine)-coated maghemite and nanomag®-D-spio nanoparticles showed that they preserve their identity as neural stem cells and their potential to differentiate into all three major neural cell types (neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes). Conclusion: Improved biocompatibility and efficient cell

• using PLL-γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles for cell labeling [22], the detailed analysis on biocompatibility of PLL-γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles was not described, neither the method of nanoparticle cell uptake defined. Better cellular uptake of PLL-γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles, when compared to nanomag®-D-spio was similar to

Hierarchical coassembly of DNA–triptycene hybrid molecular building blocks and zinc protoporphyrin IX

• Rina Kumari,
• Sumit Singh,
• Mohan Monisha,
• Sourav Bhowmick,
• Anindya Roy,
• Neeladri Das and
• Prolay Das

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 697–707, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.62

• are biologically highly relevant molecules and their biocompatibility is notable. Porphyrin derivatives are widely used as photosensitizers in PDT to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). Reportedly, Zn PpIX can interact with dsDNA in “outside stacking mode”. Therefore, the rationale to use Zn PpIX

Tight junction between endothelial cells: the interaction between nanoparticles and blood vessels

• Yue Zhang and
• Wan-Xi Yang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 675–684, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.60

• the changing status of signalling pathways based on kinases. In a study using primary osteoblasts as material to evaluate the biocompatibility of 20 nm and 40 nm Au NPs, the Au NPs increased the level of ERK phosphorylation/total ERK [76]. Also, a study of potential mechanisms of Ag-NP toxicity using

Gold nanoparticles covalently assembled onto vesicle structures as possible biosensing platform

• M. Fátima Barroso,
• M. Alejandra Luna,
• Juan S. Flores Tabares,
• Cristina Delerue-Matos,
• N. Mariano Correa,
• Fernando Moyano and
• Patricia G. Molina

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 655–663, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.58

• , biodegradability and biocompatibility, so that they are utilized as versatile carriers in the fields of medical and analytical applications [1][2][3][4]. Several strategies employing vesicles in analytical fields have been reported, namely their use as signal amplifiers in the development of biosensors [3][5] to

Comparison of the interactions of daunorubicin in a free form and attached to single-walled carbon nanotubes with model lipid membranes

• Dorota Matyszewska

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 524–532, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.46

• stability, robustness, high drug carrying capacity and ability to penetrate cell membranes [15]. Although toxicity of the nanotubes is an issue, it strongly depends on the dimensions and type of functionalization, which may significantly increase their biocompatibility [16][17]. There are different

Surface coating affects behavior of metallic nanoparticles in a biological environment

• Darija Domazet Jurašin,
• Marija Ćurlin,
• Ivona Capjak,
• Tea Crnković,
• Marija Lovrić,
• Michal Babič,
• Daniel Horák,
• Ivana Vinković Vrček and
• Srećko Gajović

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 246–262, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.23

• biocompatibility. This study is aimed to evaluate the effects of surface coating on colloidal stability and behavior of AgNPs and SPIONs in modelled biological environments using dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering techniques, as well as transmission electron microscopy to visualize the behavior of the NP

• biological media, may be achieved by electrostatic or steric repulsions [30][31][32]. Various types of surface coatings have been shown to affect NP properties, particularly to improve their biocompatibility and stability against agglomeration [30][33][34][35]. Proteins or biologically-compatible surfactants

• AgNPs and SPIONs with various coatings are used in many nanotherapeutic and consumer products [44], it has become critical to fill the knowledge gap surrounding the mechanisms of colloidal destabilization including the role of surface coating in the biocompatibility of metallic NP. The systematically

Fabrication and characterization of novel multilayered structures by stereocomplexion of poly(D-lactic acid)/poly(L-lactic acid) and self-assembly of polyelectrolytes

• Elena Dellacasa,
• Li Zhao,
• Gesheng Yang,
• Laura Pastorino and
• Gleb B. Sukhorukov

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 81–90, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.10

• morphology was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements. The experimental results confirm the successful fabrication of this innovative system, and its full biocompatibility makes it worthy of further characterization as a promising drug carrier

• for sustained release. Keywords: biocompatibility; layer-by-layer assembly; microcapsules; poly(lactic acids); stereocomplex; Introduction The polycationic/polyanionic layer-by-layer (LBL) deposition on surfaces has been widely studied since the first description by Decher et al. [1][2][3]. The

• aliphatic polyester poly(lactic acid) (PLA) has been widely used in the biomedical field due to its extraordinary biocompatibility, biodegradability and mechanical properties [19][30][31][32][33]. Lactic acid, which is the degraded product from PLA, is fully biocompatible in human bodies, and therefore

pH-Triggered release from surface-modified poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles

• Manuel Häuser,
• Klaus Langer and
• Monika Schönhoff

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 2504–2512, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.260

• biocompatibility and its hydrolytic biodegradability which varies in dependence of the relative molar ratio of the monomeric compounds [9]. Subsequent optimization of PLGA-based nanostructures is generally required in order to add specific properties, such as reduced opsonisation [10], a prolonged half-life [11

Silica-coated upconversion lanthanide nanoparticles: The effect of crystal design on morphology, structure and optical properties

• Uliana Kostiv,
• Miroslav Šlouf,
• Hana Macková,
• Alexander Zhigunov,
• Hana Engstová,
• Katarína Smolková,
• Petr Ježek and
• Daniel Horák

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 2290–2299, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.235

• enable further functionalization and increase biocompatibility and stability in aqueous media, preventing particle aggregation. Keywords: lanthanide; nanoparticles; oleylamine; silica; upconversion; Introduction Due to their unique physicochemical properties, nanometer-scale materials are finding

• functionalization and biocompatibility [27]. We herein report the preparation of OM–NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+ nanoparticles with controlled morphology, size, composition, phase and luminescence. Thorough particle characterization was performed to elucidate the relationship between synthetic conditions and particle structure

Fabrication of hybrid nanocomposite scaffolds by incorporating ligand-free hydroxyapatite nanoparticles into biodegradable polymer scaffolds and release studies

• Balazs Farkas,
• Marina Rodio,
• Ilaria Romano,
• Alberto Diaspro,
• Romuald Intartaglia and
• Szabolcs Beke

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 2217–2223, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.227

• of chemical similarity between synthetic HA and the natural bone mineral, a large number of studies have introduced synthetic HA as bone replacement material for biomedical applications [3][4]. The benefits of synthetic HA, most notably its biocompatibility, slow biodegradability and good

Electrochemical coating of dental implants with anodic porous titania for enhanced osteointegration

• Amirreza Shayganpour,
• Alberto Rebaudi,
• Pierpaolo Cortella,
• Alberto Diaspro and
• Marco Salerno

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 2183–2192, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.224

• dental and orthopedic implants, thanks to its very good strength, corrosion resistance and biocompatibility [1][2]. Despite the very high success rate of Ti dental implants (>90%), there is still room for optimization of osteointegration, particularly for diabetics, smokers and oncology patients [3]. As

• explored for APA also [10][11][12]. Generally speaking, oxide inertness provides biocompatibility, while controlled porous patterning allows for tuning the roughness for optimized stimulation of living-cell response. The role of nanotopography in guiding cell differentiation and tissue generation is not

Temperature-dependent breakdown of hydrogen peroxide-treated ZnO and TiO₂ nanoparticle agglomerates

• Sinan Sabuncu and
• Mustafa Çulha

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 1897–1903, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.193

• quantities is nearly impossible using current approaches, the surface chemistry can only be considered as an alternative to reduce the possible toxic effects. An appropriate functional group on the NP surface may improve biocompatibility and stability in various environments. In our previous study, we

Synthesis, characterization and in vitro biocompatibility study of Au/TMC/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites as a promising, nontoxic system for biomedical applications

• Hanieh Shirazi,
• Maryam Daneshpour,
• Soheila Kashanian and
• Kobra Omidfar

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 1677–1689, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.170

• . Moreover, the results of the MTT assay showed no significant cytotoxicity effect when the Au/TMC/Fe3O4 nanocomposites were applied in vitro. These TMC-containing magnetic nanoparticles are well-coated by Au nanoparticles and have good biocompatibility and can thus play the role of a platform or a label in

• ), polycyanoacrylate, alginate, gelatin, and chitosan [19][23][24]. Among these polymers, chitosan has received significant commercial attention due to its outstanding properties such as nontoxicity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, adsorption, and its ability to form films and to chelate metal ions [25][26]. This

• biocompatibility), they can be utilized as catalysts, labels, and as a protective substrate, especially for immobilization of biomolecules in various fields of modern science [29][30]. Au nanoparticles are extensively used in the design and construction of fuel cells and many types of sensors (e.g

PLGA nanoparticles as a platform for vitamin D-based cancer therapy

• Maria J. Ramalho,
• Joana A. Loureiro,
• Bárbara Gomes,
• Manuela F. Frasco,
• Manuel A. N. Coelho and
• M. Carmo Pereira

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 1306–1318, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.135

• biocompatibility, biodegradability, mechanical strength, FDA approval and low synthesis complexity. One of the most attractive candidates is poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), which is a copolymer of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) [18][19]. We expect that vitamin D3 encapsulation in these

Tattoo ink nanoparticles in skin tissue and fibroblasts

• Colin A. Grant,
• Peter C. Twigg,
• Richard Baker and
• Desmond J. Tobin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 1183–1191, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.120

• toxicity or biocompatibility of nanoparticles is an extremely important consideration for many of the aforementioned proposed applications. In particular carbon nanotubes, commonly used in applications such as drug delivery [10] and directed growth of neuron cells [11], have been shown to exhibit

Mapping of elasticity and damping in an α + β titanium alloy through atomic force acoustic microscopy

• M. Kalyan Phani,
• Anish Kumar,
• T. Jayakumar,
• Walter Arnold and
• Konrad Samwer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 767–776, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.79

• to the good corrosion resistance and biocompatibility, Ti-6Al-4V is also widely used in making load-bearing metal implants [20]. Different studies have been reported on phase transformations [21] and mechanical property variations with various phases [22] in Ti-6Al-4V. Kumar et al. [1] have

Influence of gold, silver and gold–silver alloy nanoparticles on germ cell function and embryo development

• Ulrike Taylor,
• Daniela Tiedemann,
• Christoph Rehbock,
• Wilfried A. Kues,
• Stephan Barcikowski and
• Detlef Rath

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 651–664, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.66

• ] and have also been noted to cause a drop in sperm motility [62]. Therefore, BSA-coating might be a suitable way to increase nanoparticle biocompatibility. Sperm membrane integrity and morphology, two further important sperm viability parameters, remained unaffected by any of the nanoparticle

Self-assembled anchor layers/polysaccharide coatings on titanium surfaces: a study of functionalization and stability

• Ognen Pop-Georgievski,
• Dana Kubies,
• Josef Zemek,
• Neda Neykova,
• Roman Demianchuk,
• Eliška Mázl Chánová,
• Miroslav Šlouf,
• Milan Houska and
• František Rypáček

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 617–631, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.63

• strength, appropriate Young’s modulus, outstanding biocompatibility and excellent corrosion resistance make commercially pure titanium a highly favored, biocompatible, metallic material [2]. The biocompatibility and corrosion resistance of titanium surfaces is closely related to the presence of a

Entropy effects in the collective dynamic behavior of alkyl monolayers tethered to Si(111)

• Christian Godet

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 583–594, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.60

• surface chemistry, surface energy, biocompatibility, friction, corrosion, liquid chromatography, interfacial interactions and electronic transport [1][2][3][4][5][6]. More recent studies have been focused on the functionalization of nanostructures. However, in spite of a large number of experimental and

Novel ZnO:Ag nanocomposites induce significant oxidative stress in human fibroblast malignant melanoma (Ht144) cells

• Syeda Arooj,
• Samina Nazir,
• Akhtar Nadhman,
• Nafees Ahmad,
• Bakhtiar Muhammad,
• Ishaq Ahmad,
• Kehkashan Mazhar and
• Rashda Abbasi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 570–582, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.59

• potential cytotoxicity, biocompatibility and biosafety of such particles in vitro as well as in vivo. Experimental Reagents Acetic acid, DMSO, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt dihydrate (Na2EDTA·2H2O), FeSO4, L-glutamine, hydrochloric acid (HCl), mannitol, penicillin-G, polyethylene glycol (PEG

Silica micro/nanospheres for theranostics: from bimodal MRI and fluorescent imaging probes to cancer therapy

• Shanka Walia and
• Amitabha Acharya

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 546–558, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.57

• biocompatibility of these NPs was investigated by standard MTT cell proliferation assay. Studies suggested that the cell viability was maintained at 83% even after a high dose of 500 µg·mL−1 of the nanocomposites. To check the applicability of these nanocomposites as fluorescence imaging agents, Gastric SGC7901

• was more prominent than that of LSMO@SiF@Si-w, which was attributed to the fact that the latter contains less fluorescein. To check the biocompatibility of these nanocomposites, in vitro studies were carried out on HeLa cells and primary skin fibroblasts. The studies suggested that the HeLa cells

• NPs was 4.0 emu/g. To observe the biocompatibility of these nanocomposites, both in vitro and in vivo studies were performed with HEK293 cells (human embryonic kidney 293 cells) and mice, respectively. Studies on HEK293 showed reasonable growth on treatment with 50 µg/mL dose of these hybrid

Conformal SiO₂ coating of sub-100 nm diameter channels of polycarbonate etched ion-track channels by atomic layer deposition

• Nicolas Sobel,
• Christian Hess,
• Manuela Lukas,
• Anne Spende,
• Bernd Stühn,
• M. E. Toimil-Molares and
• Christina Trautmann

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 472–479, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.48

• silica nanopores sculptured by electron or kiloelectronvolt-ion beams, mesoscopic silica, or silica nanotubes. Such systems are of interest for numerous applications due to their facile surface functionalization, hydrophilic nature, and biocompatibility [29]. For the deposition of SiO2 on polymer

Comparative evaluation of the impact on endothelial cells induced by different nanoparticle structures and functionalization

• Lisa Landgraf,
• Ines Müller,
• Peter Ernst,
• Miriam Schäfer,
• Christina Rosman,
• Isabel Schick,
• Oskar Köhler,
• Hartmut Oehring,
• Vladimir V. Breus,
• Thomas Basché,
• Carsten Sönnichsen,
• Wolfgang Tremel and
• Ingrid Hilger

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 300–312, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.28

• better insight into general rules determining the biocompatibility of gold, Janus and semiconductor (quantum dot) nanoparticles. Endothelial cells were subject of this study, since blood is the first barrier after intravenous nanoparticle application. In particular, stronger effects on the viability of

• by caveolae-mediated endocytosis and nanoparticles with a size of 40 nm are taken up by clathrin-mediated internalization and macropinocytosis. Our results can be summarized to formulate five general rules, which are further specified in the text and which determine the biocompatibility of

• nanoparticles on endothelial cells. Our findings will help to design new nanoparticles with optimized properties concerning biocompatibility and uptake behavior with respect to the respective intended application. Keywords: cell viability; gold nanoparticles; internalization; Janus particles; quantum dots