Université de Fribourg

Nanoparticle polydispersity can strongly affect in vitro dose

Rodriguez-Lorenzo, Laura ; Rothen-Rutishauser, Barbara ; Petri-Fink, Alke ; Balog, Sandor

In: Particle & Particle Systems Characterization, 2015, vol. 32, no. 3, p. 321–333

When nanomaterials meet the biological world, the cellular interaction of nanoparticles is routinely assessed in in vitro systems. Establishing dose–response relationships requires that the dose of nanoparticles delivered to the cell is accurate and precise. Nanoparticles as such or coated with high molecular-weight compounds are rarely uniform and the influence of heterogeneity, including...

Université de Fribourg

Polyvinyl alcohol as a biocompatible alternative for the passivation of gold nanorods

Kinnear, Calum ; Burnand, David ; Clift, Martin J. D. ; Kilbinger, Andreas F. M. ; Rothen-Rutishauser, Barbara ; Petri-Fink, Alke

In: Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2014, vol. 53, no. 46, p. 12613–12617

The functionalization of gold nanorods (GNRs) with polymers is essential for both their colloidal stability and biocompatibility. However, a bilayer of the toxic cationic surfactant cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) adsorbed on the nanorods complicates this process. Herein, we report on a strategy for the biocompatible functionalization of GNRs with a hydrophobic polymeric precursor,...