Fig. 1

A Transmission electron microscopy of the morphology of NC-NPs (a) and C-NPs (b) dispersed in distilled water . The particle size distribution of C-NPs after 24 h of incubation with 20 µM dithiothreitol (DTT) (c) and 20 mM DTT (d). B (a) The responsive disassembly of C-NPs and NC-NPs. Particle size was determined at different times in the reductive environment in the presence of DTT. (b) Crosslinking stability of nanoparticles. Size changes of C-NPs and NC-NPs in various solutions of phosphate buffered saline, NaCl and 10% foetal bovine serum. C Haemolysis rate of C-NPs (number 1–7 represents the groups of blank control, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1 mg/mL C-NPs and positive control). D Cumulative DTX release from the C-NPs. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01