Table 2 Size dependence of active cellular NP uptake
From: Engineered nanoparticles interacting with cells: size matters
NPs | Size (nm Ø) | Cell lines | Techniques | Main conclusions | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Au | 2–15 | MCF-7 | ICP-MS, TEM | Higher uptake of smaller NPs; 2/6 nm locate in cytoplasm and nucleus, 15 nm only in cytoplasm | [44] |
QDs | 2–7 | A-427 | FCS | Size-dependent internalization efficiency | [45] |
Au | 2.4–89 | Cos 1 | Silver staining, CLSM | 2.4 nm: in nucleus; 5.5 and 8.2 nm: partially in cytoplasm; 16 nm and above: no uptake | [46] |
Au | 2–100 | SK-BR-3 | CLSM | 40/50 nm: greatest effect | [47] |
Au | 4–17 | HeLa | AFM | Uptake increases with NP size | [48] |
TiO2 | 5–80 | A549 | Light scattering μ-Raman, TEM | Uptake depends on overall size (with hard corona) | [49] |
Iron oxide | 8–65 | RAW264.7 | ICP-AES | 37 nm (HD 100 nm): highest uptake | [43] |
Au | 10–50 | NRK | TEM, ICP-MS | Uptake efficiency: 50 > 25 > 10 nm | [44] |
Au | 13, 45 | CF-31 | TEM, SEM, CLSM | 45Â nm: clathrin-mediated endocytosis, 13Â nm: mostly phagocytosis | [50] |
Au | 14–100 | HeLa | ICP-AES, TEM | 50 nm: maximum uptake | [39] |
Au | 15–55 | SK-BR-3 | SEM, ICP-MS, | Surface ligands affect size dependency | [51] |
Au | 15–90 | J774A.1 | ICP-AES | No significant size dependency | [52] |
Au | 16–58 | RAW 264.7, HepG2 | ICP-MS, TEM | Negatively charged: 40 nm highest uptake; positively charged: no size-dependent uptake | [53] |
Au | 20–80 | CHO-K1, HeLa, MCF-7 | Flow cytometry, ICP-AES, TEM, | Less internalization with increasing size | [54] |
PS | 20–100 | 1321 N1, A549 | CLSM, flow cytometry | 40 nm: fastest internalization rate | [42] |
MSN | 30–280 | HeLa | CLSM, ICP-MS | 50 nm: maximum uptake | [41] |
Au | 30–90 | PC3 | TEM, ICP-MS | 50 nm: maximum uptake | [29] |
SiO2 | 32, 83 | Caco-2 | CLSM | 32Â nm: enter nucleus, migrate faster | [55] |
PS | 40–2000 | HeLa, A549, 1321 N1, HCMEC D3, RAW 264.7 | CLSM, flow cytometry | Uptake highly size-dependent for all cell lines, larger NPs enter more slowly | [56] |
Au | 45–110 | CL1-0, HeLa | Scattering imaging | 45 nm: maximum uptake | [40] |
polymer | 50–300 | Caco-2, HT-29 | Deserno’s model, CLSM | 100 nm: maximum uptake | [57] |
polymer | 150–500 | L02, SMMC-7221 | Fluorimetry | Large NPs with high net charge: uptake more efficient | [58] |