Issue 3, 2012
From the journal:

RSC Advances

Surface charge effect in intracellular localization of mesoporous silicananoparticles as probed by fluorescent ratiometric pH imaging†

Yi-Ping Chen,‡a   Hsueh-An Chen,‡a   Yann Hung,a   Fan-Ching Chien,b   Peilin Chenb  and  Chung-Yuan Mou*a  

* Corresponding authors

a Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
E-mail: cymou@ntu.edu.tw
Fax: (+886) 2-23660954

b Research Center of Applied Sciences, Academica Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan

Abstract

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have received intensive recent interest as multi-functional nanocarriers for biological cells and tissues. Their cell uptake and intracellular distribution depends on the surface charge they carry. We develop a new approach for monitoring their uptake and intracellular localization by measuring the local pH value of the MSNs. We synthesized a ratiometric pH-sensor loaded with mesoporous silica nanoparticles that can map the location of the MSN through the site pH in HeLa cells. Positively charged MSN-TA was found to locate in higher pH regions which are identified as cytosol mostly. On the other hand, negatively charged MSN-PPs were trapped in acidic endosomes. Evidence is given for direct penetration of membranes through a charge-mediated membrane–nanoparticle interaction mechanism.

Graphical abstract: Surface charge effect in intracellular localization of mesoporous silica nanoparticles as probed by fluorescent ratiometric pH imaging

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Supplementary files

Article information

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/C1RA00586C
Article type
Paper
Submitted
12 Aug 2011
Accepted
19 Oct 2011
First published
02 Dec 2011

RSC Adv., 2012,2, 968-973

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Surface charge effect in intracellular localization of mesoporous silica nanoparticles as probed by fluorescent ratiometric pH imaging

Y. Chen, H. Chen, Y. Hung, F. Chien, P. Chen and C. Mou, RSC Adv., 2012, 2, 968 DOI: 10.1039/C1RA00586C

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