Hydrophobicity determines the fate of self-assembled fluorescent nanoparticles in cells.

Arthur H A M van OnzenLorenzo AlbertazziAlbertus P H J SchenningLech-Gustav MilroyLuc Brunsveld

Published in: Chemical communications (Cambridge, England) (2017)

The fate of small molecule nanoparticles (SMNPs) composed of self-assembling intrinsically fluorescent π-conjugated oligomers was studied in cells as a function of side-chain hydrophobicity. While the hydrophobic SMNPs remained intact upon cellular uptake, the more hydrophilic SMNPs disassembled and dispersed throughout the cytosol.

Keyphrases

induced apoptosis
small molecule
cell cycle arrest
quantum dots
endoplasmic reticulum stress
living cells
photodynamic therapy
signaling pathway
mass spectrometry
high resolution
cell proliferation
solid phase extraction