Concentration-dependent fluorescence live-cell imaging and tracking of intracellular nanoparticles

Nanotechnology. 2011 Jun 10;22(23):235101. doi: 10.1088/0957-4484/22/23/235101. Epub 2011 Apr 14.

Abstract

Using live-cell imaging techniques we investigated concentration-dependent intracellular movements of fluorescence nanoparticles (NPs) in real-time after their entry into HeLa cells via incubation. Intracellular particle traces appeared to be a mixture of both random and fairly unidirectional movements of the particles. At rather low concentrations of NPs, a majority of the non-random intracellular particle trajectories are assumed to mostly go along microtubule networks after endocytosis, as evidenced from the inhibition test with nocodazole. On the other hand, as the concentrations of NPs increased, random motions were more frequently observed inside the cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Survival
  • Endocytosis*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods
  • Nanoparticles / analysis*