DOI: https://doi.org/10.29363/nanoge.amamed.2022.022
Publication date: 22nd April 2022
Most studies about the interaction of nanoparticles (NPs) with cells are focused on how the physicochemical properties of NPs will influence their uptake by cells. However, much less is known about their potential excretion from cells. In order to control and manipulate the number of NPs in a cell however both, cellular uptake and excretion need to be studied quantitatively. Monitoring the intracellular and extracellular amount of NPs over time (after residual non-internalized NPs have been removed), enables to disentangle the influence of cell proliferation and exocytosis, which are the major pathways for the reduction of NPs per cell. Proliferation depends on the type of cells, and exocytosis depends in addition to the type of cells also on the properties of the NPs, such as their size. Examples are given on the role of these two different processes for different cells and NPs.