In this Account, we describe how cellular uptake and intracellular processing of nanoscale materials can be controlled by appropriate design of size and surface chemistry. Direct access to the cytosol is limited to very specific conditions, and endosomal escape of material appears to be the most practical approach for intracellular processing. In particular, it has been shown that internalization of foreign materials (small molecules, macromolecules, nanoparticles) is size-dependent: endocytotic uptake of materials requires sizes greater than 10 nm, and materials with sizes of 10–100 nm usually enter into cells by energy-dependent endocytosis via biomembrane-coated vesicles. In the past few decades there have been great advancements in understanding the principles of cellular uptake of foreign materials.
Thus, nanoparticles need to be designed appropriately so that they can readily cross the cell membrane, target subcellular compartments, and control intracellular processes. However, cells are protected from their surroundings by the cell membrane, which exerts strict control over entry of foreign materials. This is particularly the case because nanoparticles are designed to interact with subcellular components for the required biomedical performance. One key parameter of these applications is the ability of the nanoparticles to enter into the cell cytoplasm, target different subcellular compartments, and control intracellular processes. When cellular functions are understood it could have a huge impact on healthcare, as conditions related to, for example, homeostasis such as heart failure or diabetes, could have new treatments researched if we can manipulate the bioelectricity in the cells.Nanoparticles are widely used in various biomedical applications as drug delivery carriers, imaging probes, single-molecule tracking/detection probes, artificial chaperones for inhibiting protein aggregation, and photodynamic therapy materials. "Here we advocate that the understanding of cells as electrical entities will pave the way to fully understand, predict and modulate cellular function. "When looking at the underlying chemistry of this "machinery" it is easy to recognise the importance of electricity in biological phenomena. They argue that a bioelectrical view can provide predictive biological understanding, which can open up novel ways to control cell behaviours by electrical and electrochemical means, setting the stage for the emergence of bioelectrical engineering.ĭr Orkun Soyer, from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick comments: Researchers from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick have today, the 20th May had the paper 'Bioelectrical understanding and engineering of cell biology' published in the journal Royal Society Interface, in which they have gone beyond the status quo of understanding cell behaviours, and argue a combination of genetics, physics and physiology can be grounded on a bioelectrical conceptualisation of cells. In particular, the basis of heterogeneity in single-cell behaviour and the initiation of many different metabolic, transcriptional or mechanical responses to environmental stimuli remain largely unexplained. It's cellular "machinery" responsible for key functions have been the focus of biology research, and despite previous research exploring the molecular and genetic basis of these processes showing unprecedented insights, we still can't fully understand and predict cell behaviour when challenged to different conditions.Professor Orkun Soyer, School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick However the complexity of cells has fascinated and challenged human understanding for centuries. Cellular processes happen every day for survival, form homeostasis to photosynthesis and anaerobic respiration to aerobic respiration.