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Nanoparticle/Polymer Assembled Microcapsules with pH Sensing Property
Author(s) -
Zhang Pan,
Song Xiaoxue,
Tong Weijun,
Gao Changyou
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
macromolecular bioscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.924
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1616-5195
pISSN - 1616-5187
DOI - 10.1002/mabi.201400259
Subject(s) - allylamine , nanoparticle , chemistry , polymer , salt (chemistry) , polyelectrolyte , surface charge , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , materials science , organic chemistry , engineering
The dual‐labeled microcapsules via nanoparticle/polymer assembly based on polyamine–salt aggregates can be fabricated for the ratiometric intracellular pH sensing. After deposition of SiO 2 nanoparticles on the poly(allylamine hydrochloride)/multivalent anionic salt aggregates followed by silicic acid treatment, the generated microcapsules are stable in a wide pH range (3.0 ∼ 8.0). pH sensitive dye and pH insensitive dye are simultaneously labeled on the capsules, which enable the ratiometric pH sensing. Due to the rough and positively charged surface, the microcapsules can be internalized by several kinds of cells naturally. Real‐time measurement of intracellular pH in several living cells shows that the capsules are all located in acidic organelles after being taken up. Furthermore, the negatively charged DNA and dyes can be easily encapsulated into the capsules via charge interaction. The microcapsules with combination of localized pH sensing and drug loading abilities have many advantages, such as following the real‐time transportation and processing of the carriers in cells.