Gold nanoparticle-decorated reduced graphene oxide as a highly effective catalyst for the selective α,β-dehydrogenation of N-alkyl-4-piperidones

• Brenda Flore Kenyim,
• Mihir Tzalis,
• Marilyn Kaul,
• Robert Oestreich,
• Aysenur Limon,
• Chancellin Pecheu Nkepdep and
• Christoph Janiak

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 218–238, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.15

• when P/P0 reaches 1. The wide H3 hysteresis loop is typically given by non-rigid aggregates of platelets as seen in rGO (cf. Figure 2b). CB also gives a combination of a type-I and a type-II isotherm, albeit with an overall small uptake and a very narrow H3 hysteresis loop. The lower limit of this H3

• quantitative conversion of the gold precursor to nanoparticles as well as quantitative uptake of the AuNPs (cf. Figure 5a and Figure 7a) onto the carbon support material. The progress of the reaction was followed by GC for the rGO catalyst composites (Figure 12a), and the reaction was stopped when 100

Time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging of contaminant species in chemical vapour deposited graphene on copper

• Barry Brennan,
• Vlad-Petru Veigang-Radulescu,
• Philipp Braeuninger-Weimer,
• Stephan Hofmann and
• Andrew J. Pollard

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 200–213, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.13

• species on the graphene nucleation process itself (other than previously reported carbon contamination in the Cu foil) [43], it is reasonable to assume that a non-uniform distribution of chemical species is not desirable when consistency of a material will be important for uptake of graphene in any future

Safe and sustainable by design with ML/AI: A transformative approach to advancing nanotechnology

• Georgia Melagraki

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 176–185, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.11

• in air and water under high temperature and pressures and following release and uptake by biota [9]. Therefore, LCA must account for the entire lifecycle of these materials, from production and usage for which industrial materials can often be under extreme conditions (high temperatures, pressures

From shield to spear: Charge-reversible nanocarriers in overcoming cancer therapy barriers

• Madhuri Yeduvaka,
• Pooja Mittal,
• Ameer Boyalakuntla,
• Usman Bee Shaik,
• Himanshu Sharma,
• Thakur Gurjeet Singh,
• Siva Nageswara Rao Gajula and
• Lakshmi Vineela Nalla

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 159–175, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.10

• the crucial role of surface charge in cellular uptake and intracellular transport, highlighting recent advances that demonstrate improved targeting, reduced systemic toxicity, enhanced cellular internalisation, and the potential for integrated approaches, including combination therapies and

• ) [15]. These systems can switch their surface charge in response to tumour microenvironment (TME) triggers such as pH changes, redox states, or enzymatic activity, enhancing drug stability, facilitating cellular uptake, and enabling targeted drug release. This responsive functionality gives CR-NDDSs a

• physicochemical parameters, the surface charge is essential for determining nanocarrier interactions with biological membranes, cellular uptake, and biodistribution [17]. With a positive charge, the nanocarrier tends to be absorbed by high plasma proteins and cleared faster from the bloodstream. In contrast

Influence of surface characteristics on the in vitro stability and cell uptake of nanoliposomes for brain delivery

• Dushko Shalabalija,
• Ljubica Mihailova,
• Nikola Geskovski,
• Andreas Zimmer,
• Otmar Geiss,
• Sabrina Gioria,
• Diletta Scaccabarozzi and
• Marija Glavas Dodov

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 139–158, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.9

• /D3) and neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) under different conditions. The results obtained from comparative in vitro cell uptake studies on both cell culture lines after treatment with three different concentrations of fluorescently labelled NLs (5, 10, and 100 μg/mL) over a period of 1, 2, and 4 h

• showed a time- and concentration-dependent internalization pattern, with high impact of the surface characteristics of the different formulations. In addition, transport studies on hCMEC/D3/SH-SY5Y co-cultures confirmed the successful transport of NLs across the BBB cells and their subsequent uptake by

• neurons (ranging from 25.17% to 27.54%). Fluorescence and confocal microscopy micrographs revealed that, once internalized, NLs were concentrated in the perinuclear cell regions. Keywords: blood–brain barrier; cell co-culture; cell uptake; internalization; nanoliposomes; stability; surface

Development and in vitro evaluation of liposomes and immunoliposomes containing 5-fluorouracil and R-phycoerythrin as a potential phototheranostic system for colorectal cancer

• Raissa Rodrigues Camelo,
• Vivianne Cortez Sombra Vandesmet,
• Octavio Vital Baccallini,
• José de Brito Vieira Neto,
• Thais da Silva Moreira,
• Luzia Kalyne Almeida Moreira Leal,
• Claudia Pessoa,
• Daniel Giuliano Cerri,
• Maria Vitória Lopes Badra Bentley,
• Josimar O. Eloy,
• Ivanildo José da Silva Júnior and
• Raquel Petrilli

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 97–121, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.7

• evaluated, and the systems were thoroughly characterized. Finally, in vitro experiments in a CRC cell line were conducted for the evaluation of cytotoxicity, photo toxicity, and uptake. Some studies have sought to demonstrate that dual-drug nanosystems can result in synergistic antitumor effects or reduce

• ™ 488. 2.7 Cellular uptake Cellular internalization was assessed by confocal microscopy. For confocal microscopy, 1 × 106 cells were seeded onto 6-well plates containing sterile cover slides and 1 mL of culture medium per well. After allowing cell adhesion overnight, the culture medium was removed and 1

• analyses provide strong evidence of liposome functionalization. The transition from a smooth surface in HSPC-50-R-PE to a rougher HSPC-IM-R-PE topography is likely to impact biological interactions such as cellular uptake mechanisms, biodistribution, clearance by the reticuloendothelial system, and even

Functional surface engineering for cultural heritage protection: the role of superhydrophobic and superoleophobic coatings – a comprehensive review

• Giuseppe Cesare Lama,
• Marino Lavorgna,
• Letizia Verdolotti,
• Federica Recupido,
• Giovanna Giuliana Buonocore and
• Bharat Bhushan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 63–96, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.6

• imparting long-lasting hydrophobicity, reducing water uptake, and maintaining dimensional and biological stability of wood, even under UV exposure and outdoor conditions (Figure 7). To do so, nano/sub-microlignin (NL), derived from beechwood via a one-step organosolv process, was used as a filler and

Internal 3D temperature mapping in biological systems using ratiometric light-sheet imaging and lipid-coated upconversion nanothermometers

• Dannareli Barron-Ortiz,
• Enric Pérez-Parets,
• Rubén D. Cadena-Nava,
• Emilio J. Gualda,
• Jacob Licea-Rodríguez,
• Juan Hernández-Cordero,
• Pablo Loza-Álvarez and
• Israel Rocha-Mendoza

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 2306–2316, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.159

• the entire volume. The C. elegans intestine is a simple, tubular organ composed of 20 epithelial cells arranged into nine rings (int1–int9), spanning approximately 80% of the worm’s body length. The lumen, located centrally within these rings, is lined with microvilli that facilitate nutrient uptake

• observation is consistent with Chen et al. [50], who reported internalization of PEI-capped UCNPs into both the gut cavity and intestinal cells. They attributed UCNP uptake within the gut cavity to the favorable nanoparticle dispersibility and cellular internalization to endocytosis, facilitated by

• to the luminal environment rather than intracellular regions, indicating that surface chemistry governs not only nanoparticle uptake but also the spatial interpretation of the thermal maps. This distinction is crucial, as it means our thermal maps report on the temperature within the digestive tract

Rapid synthesis of highly monodisperse AgSbS₂ nanocrystals: unveiling multifaceted activities in cancer therapy, antibacterial strategies, and antioxidant defense

• Funda Ulusu,
• Adem Sarilmaz,
• Yakup Ulusu,
• Faruk Ozel and
• Mahmut Kus

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 2105–2115, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.145

• act as a barrier, reducing the uptake of antimicrobial agents, thus, increasing the required inhibitory concentrations. Similar results have been observed for silver, ZnO, and other metal chalcogenide nanoparticles, which show higher MIC/MBC values for E. coli compared to S. aureus [41]. In size

• uptake, are expected to be within the range typically reported for Ag-based chalcogenides exhibiting stable dispersions. Antioxidant activity of AgSbS2 NCs The DPPH radical scavenging activity of AgSbS2 NCs in the assay using ascorbic acid as a positive control is revealed in Figure 5. The synthesized

Toward clinical translation of carbon nanomaterials in anticancer drug delivery: the need for standardisation

• Michał Bartkowski,
• Francesco Calzaferri and
• Silvia Giordani

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 2092–2104, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.144

• coupled with systematic biological evaluation to ensure reliable assessment of safety and performance. Physicochemical evaluation of CNMs Size and shape are critical parameters that influence the biological behaviour of CNMs. These factors affect biodistribution, clearance, and cellular uptake. For

• atomic force microscopy. Surface charge plays a significant role in determining how CNMs interact with biological membranes and intracellular environments. It influences processes such as cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, and inflammatory signalling. For example, BSA-derived negatively charged CDs exhibited

• enhanced cellular uptake, whereas positively charged CDs elicited stronger cytokine responses [41]. Zeta potential measurements are routinely used to quantify surface charge, which can be tuned through appropriate surface functionalisation strategies. Stability is another essential aspect of NM evaluation

Molecular and mechanical insights into gecko seta adhesion: multiscale simulations combining molecular dynamics and the finite element method

• Yash Jain,
• Saeed Norouzi,
• Tobias Materzok,
• Stanislav N. Gorb and
• Florian Müller-Plathe

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 2055–2076, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.141

• gecko keratin [11]. It also helped clarify other aspects of humidity-enhanced adhesion, revealing that keratin softening due to water uptake accounts for only a minor part of the increase in adhesion on very smooth surfaces [13]. The present paper builds on our previous research and extends the

The cement of the tube-dwelling polychaete Sabellaria alveolata: a complex composite adhesive material

• Emilie Duthoo,
• Aurélie Lambert,
• Pierre Becker,
• Carla Pugliese,
• Jean-Marc Baele,
• Arnaud Delfairière,
• Matthew J. Harrington and
• Patrick Flammang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1998–2014, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.138

• remains hypothetical. Sa-5 has 8.6% of its amino acid composition as histidine. It has been shown that some histidine-containing adhesive proteins may function as metal-binding proteins, as observed in the mussel byssus. Mussels actively uptake metal ions from seawater, which they then incorporate into

PEGylated lipids in lipid nanoparticle delivery dynamics and therapeutic innovation

• Peiyang Gao

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1914–1930, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.133

• chains arrange on the nanoparticle surface and the potential impacts on LNPs’ physicochemical properties by varying surface PEG density or PEG chemistry. Subsequently, PEG conformations are discussed in terms of their modulation of protein corona formation, cellular uptake, and immunogenic responses

• properties of LNPs including particle size, surface charge, and encapsulation efficiency. Subsequent sections explore the roles of PEG lipids in modulating protein corona formation and cellular uptake. The latter parts highlight the potential of functionalized PEG lipids for targeted delivery and the

• shell of LNPs plays a pivotal role. As hydrophilic and protective shield during LNP circulation and in vivo activities, the conformation and binding kinetics of PEG layer are both important, particularly in modulating protein adsorption and subsequent interactions with cellular uptake pathways [23

Phytol-loaded soybean oil nanoemulsion as a promising alternative against Leishmania amazonensis

• Victória Louise Pinto Freire,
• Mariana Farias Alves-Silva,
• Johny W. de Freitas Oliveira,
• Matheus de Freitas Fernandes-Pedrosa,
• Alianda Maira Cornélio,
• Marcelo de Souza-Silva,
• Thayse Silva Medeiros and
• Arnóbio Antônio da Silva Junior

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1826–1836, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.126

• can improve the cellular uptake of various drugs and can facilitate targeted delivery to the intracellular parasites [50][51]. Since the amastigote forms of Leishmania spp. reside within the phagolysosomes of macrophages, the phagocytic uptake of nanodroplets significantly increases the intracellular

• may also be expected against amastigotes, given the comparable cellular biology and mitochondrial activity between the two stages. The major challenge, however, is the intracellular localization of amastigotes, which requires not only uptake of the nanoemulsion by macrophages but also subsequent

Exploring the potential of polymers: advancements in oral nanocarrier technology

• Rousilândia de Araujo Silva,
• Igor Eduardo Silva Arruda,
• Luise Lopes Chaves,
• Mônica Felts de La Roca Soares and
• Jose Lamartine Soares Sobrinho

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1751–1793, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.122

• -specific drug delivery. In this context, endocytosis is commonly categorized into two types, that is, phagocytosis and pinocytosis, as illustrated in Figure 3A. Phagocytosis involves the uptake of particles larger than 500 nm that bind to specific surface receptors (such as Toll-like, mannose/lectin, and

• , folic acid, peptides, and NPs smaller than 50 nm with surface charges between +15 and −15 mV are preferentially internalized via CvME. Some NPs follow clathrin- and caveolin-independent endocytosis pathways, which involve distinct uptake mechanisms, often dependent on cholesterol. These alternative

Advances of aptamers in esophageal cancer diagnosis, treatment and drug delivery

• Yang Fei,
• Hui Xu,
• Chunwei Zhang,
• Jingjing Wang and
• Yong Jin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1734–1750, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.121

• are still in the process of optimizing the system parameters to make the method meet the needs of clinical sample testing. However, there may be some endogenous biotin-binding proteins or exogenous uptake of biotin in clinical samples from esophageal cancer patients that may bind nonspecifically to

• cellular uptake, poor stability due to tumor microenvironment, and inadequate drug release due to inadequate drug release mechanisms. Two years later, a novel bivalent aptamer-DNA-Dox conjugate (BADD) [117], was developed, and the A2 aptamer was truncated to A2 (35) to reduce steric hindrance and improve

• cellular uptake. While cationic nanocarriers can effectively mediate delivery, this strategy substantially increases manufacturing complexity and production costs. Regulatory bodies must therefore establish new quality control standards to ensure batch-to-batch consistency. Third, approved aptamer-based

Beyond the bilayer: multilayered hygroscopic actuation in pine cone scales

• Kim Ulrich,
• Max David Mylo,
• Tom Masselter,
• Fabian Scheckenbach,
• Sophia Fischerbauer,
• Martin Nopens,
• Silja Flenner,
• Imke Greving,
• Linnea Hesse and
• Thomas Speck

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1695–1710, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.119

• investigated. Using gravimetric water uptake measurements, synchrotron radiation-based nano-holotomography, and digital volume correlation analysis, inter- and intra-tissue variations of hygroscopic swelling/shrinkage were observed. In addition, the moisture content of pine cone scale tissues was measured as a

• the bending motion of the scale. One crucial influencing factor is the difference within or between tissues, as Eger et al. [23] highlighted. The authors measured the relative change of moisture content as a function of relative humidity by gravimetric water uptake measurements of the sclereid cells

• , the brown tissue, and the sclerenchyma fibers of a Pinus wallichiana pine cone scale. However, as their water uptake measurements consisted of only one measurement per tissue, being limited to the range of 30–80% RH, and their equilibrium criterion being one hour of exposure instead of a mass change

Prospects of nanotechnology and natural products for cancer and immunotherapy

• Jan Filipe Andrade Santos,
• Marcela Bernardes Brasileiro,
• Pamela Danielle Cavalcante Barreto,
• Ligiane Aranha Rocha and
• José Adão Carvalho Nascimento Júnior

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1644–1667, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.116

• CXCL9/10 expression in Schwann cells [114]. Particle size and stability of the formulation in the patent were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The nanoparticles demonstrated enhanced uptake in HepG2 cells, as confirmed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy, and achieved a

• scattering (DLS), and UV–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy were used for characterization. The nanoparticles showed increased cellular uptake compared to free PD-L1, suppression of the NF-κB pathway as indicated by reduced PHO-P65 protein expression, and enhanced tumor inhibition due to immune activation and

• spectroscopy, TEM, DLS, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, revealing a polygonal or oval morphology. To evaluate the antitumor effects, cytotoxicity assays, cellular uptake assays, apoptosis detection, ROS production, qRT-PCR, and Western blotting for gene and protein

Venom-loaded cationic-functionalized poly(lactic acid) nanoparticles for serum production against Tityus serrulatus scorpion

• Philippe de Castro Mesquita,
• Karla Samara Rocha Soares,
• Manoela Torres-Rêgo,
• Emanuell dos Santos-Silva,
• Mariana Farias Alves-Silva,
• Alianda Maira Cornélio,
• Matheus de Freitas Fernandes-Pedrosa and
• Arnóbio Antônio da Silva-Júnior

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1633–1643, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.115

• nanoparticles can be modified to achieve high protein loading or avoid a rapid cellular uptake. Using different strategies, nanoparticles have been functionalized with a variety of ligands such as small molecules, surfactants, polymers, and biomolecules [21][22]. The use of cationic molecules, as

• nanoparticles was functionalized with PEI, a hydrophilic polymer that provides a positive surface charge. This modification enhances high macromolecule loading or improves the cell interaction and cellular uptake [22][33][34]. The cationic character induces biomolecules with negative charges, such as proteins

Enhancing the therapeutical potential of metalloantibiotics using nano-based delivery systems

• Alejandro Llamedo,
• Marina Cano,
• Raquel G. Soengas and
• Francisco J. García-Alonso

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1350–1366, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.98

• receptors and ligands, as well as the number of interactions necessary to overcome the energy barrier for cellular uptake. Properly balancing these factors ensures efficient binding and internalization of the nanoparticles by the target cells [50][51]. For example, nanoparticles can be engineered to

• modifications prevent rapid uptake by the reticuloendothelial system, prolonging the presence of the drug in the bloodstream and increasing drug levels in the central nervous system [62]. Additionally, functionalizing liposomes with ligands or antibodies can facilitate specific interactions with cell surface

• instance, liposomal formulations of antibiotics such as polymyxin B, cefepime, and vancomycin have demonstrated superior antibacterial effects compared to their free drug counterparts [64][65][66]. Liposomes enhance drug stability, increase drug concentration at the target site, and facilitate drug uptake

Ferroptosis induction by engineered liposomes for enhanced tumor therapy

• Alireza Ghasempour,
• Mohammad Amin Tokallou,
• Mohammad Reza Naderi Allaf,
• Mohsen Moradi,
• Hamideh Dehghan,
• Mahsa Sedighi,
• Mohammad-Ali Shahbazi and
• Fahimeh Lavi Arab

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1325–1349, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.97

• require, including the system ASC (alanine, serine, cysteine-preferring) and LAT-2 (large amino acid transporter 2) [69]. In neuronal cells, cysteine uptake is supported by EAAC-1, part of the xag− system (a sodium-dependent transporter family) with a strong affinity for acidic amino acids like glutamate

• example, by inhibiting the expression of SLC7A11, it reduces the uptake of cysteine and sensitizes the cell to ferroptosis [83]. 2.2 Targeting ferroptosis in cancer therapy Some types of cancer are naturally more susceptible to ferroptosis due to distinct metabolic characteristics [84]. PUFA-ePLs produced

• , ferroptosis inducers can trigger ferroptosis through various ways: (I) GSH is the most frequently utilized antioxidant inside the cell and is essential for maintaining antioxidant enzymes like GPX4. The production of GSH relies on the uptake of cysteine mediated by system xc− [88]. The inhibition of system xc

Acrocomia aculeata oil-loaded nanoemulsion: development, anti-inflammatory properties, and cytotoxicity evaluation

• Verónica Bautista-Robles,
• Hady Keita,
• Edgar Julián Paredes Gamero,
• Layna Tayná Brito Leite,
• Jessica de Araújo Isaías Muller,
• Mônica Cristina Toffoli Kadri,
• Ariadna Lafourcade Prada and
• Jesús Rafael Rodríguez Amado

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1277–1288, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.93

• counterpart [47]. The superior pharmacological response of the nanoemulsion may be attributed to the nanoscale droplet size, which increases the surface area-to-volume ratio, enhances solubility and stability, and promotes rapid absorption and cellular uptake [56]. The nanometric scale facilitates more

Better together: biomimetic nanomedicines for high performance tumor therapy

• Imran Shair Mohammad,
• Gizem Kursunluoglu,
• Anup Kumar Patel,
• Hafiz Muhammad Ishaq,
• Cansu Umran Tunc,
• Dilek Kanarya,
• Mubashar Rehman,
• Omer Aydin and
• Yin Lifang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1246–1276, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.92

• . The uptake of LDL inside the cells occurs mainly via receptor-mediated endocytosis by a structurally similar receptor family, similar to LDL receptor proteins including LDL receptor-related protein (LRP or megalin), very-low density lipoprotein (vLDL) receptor, and apolipoprotein E receptor-2 (ApoER2

• ) [62]. After uptake, LDL is phagocytosed to form lysosomes. However, lysosomes can degrade most drugs, which limits their applications [63][64]. Zhu et al. proposed reconstituted LDL nanoparticles to prevent acidic degradation. They added fatty acids to encapsulate drugs in the lipid core because fatty

• cholesterol uptake, and induce ferroptosis of the cancer cells [67]. HDL presents many features that make it ideal for drug delivery applications including biocompatibility and biodegradability, long circulation, hydrophobic core, and small size. The main lipoprotein of HDL is alpha apolipoprotein (apo A-I

Functional bio-packaging enhanced with nanocellulose from rice straw and cinnamon essential oil Pickering emulsion for fruit preservation

• Tuyen B. Ly,
• Duong D. T. Nguyen,
• Hieu D. Nguyen,
• Yen T. H. Nguyen,
• Bup T. A. Bui,
• Kien A. Le and
• Phung K. Le

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1234–1245, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.91

• degradation byproducts [8][9]. One problem is that the hydrophilic structure of PVA gives it a high water-solubility, water uptake, and worse mechanical properties [10][11]. Different filler and nanomaterials including silica [12][13][14], graphene [15][16], and metals [17][18] have been added to PVA to

Hydrogels and nanogels: effectiveness in dermal applications

• Jéssica da Cruz Ludwig,
• Diana Fortkamp Grigoletto,
• Daniele Fernanda Renzi,
• Wolf-Rainer Abraham,
• Daniel de Paula and
• Najeh Maissar Khalil

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1216–1233, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.90

• the tumor with leakage permeable to blood flow due to disordered endothelial cell layers. This cellular organization of the vasculature with increased permeability allows increased uptake of nanoparticles by endocytosis and, consequently, increased cytotoxic effect of antineoplastic drugs. Thus, with