Red blood cell-mimicking synthetic biomaterial particles

Abstract

Biomaterials form the basis of current and future biomedical technologies. They are routinely used to design therapeutic carriers, such as nanoparticles, for applications in drug delivery. Current strategies for synthesizing drug delivery carriers are based either on discovery of materials or development of fabrication methods. While synthetic carriers have brought upon numerous advances in drug delivery, they fail to match the sophistication exhibited by innate biological entities. In particular, red blood cells (RBCs), the most ubiquitous cell type in the human blood, constitute highly specialized entities with unique shape, size, mechanical flexibility, and material composition, all of which are optimized for extraordinary biological performance. Inspired by this natural example, we synthesized particles that mimic the key structural and functional features of RBCs. Similar to their natural counterparts, RBC-mimicking particles described here possess the ability to carry oxygen and flow through capillaries smaller than their own diameter. Further, they can also encapsulate drugs and imaging agents. These particles provide a paradigm for the design of drug delivery and imaging carriers, because they combine the functionality of natural RBCs with the broad applicability and versatility of synthetic drug delivery particles.biomimetic ͉ drug delivery ͉ erythrocyte ͉ imaging ͉ nanotechnology

Design Advances in Particulate Systems for Biomedical Applications

“…[ 67,198 ] These particles had elastic modulus similar to that of the natural erythrocytes, and were capable to stretch to pass through small diameter capillaries and to recover the discoidal shape. [ 67,198 ] Rod-shape particles have been prepared using polystyrene microspheres as templates. [ 199 ] After assembly of poly(L-lysine) (PLL) and BSA, the particles maintained the spherical shape.…”

“…[ 65,67 ] The size is one of the parameters that dictate the in vivo behavior of the particles, including circulation time, extravasation, targeting, immunological recognition, cellular internalization and traffi cking, degradation and clearance. [ 68,69 ] In the case of intravenous applications, particle size has a signifi cant impact REVIEW on circulation time and on the hydrodynamics forces while fl owing in the blood stream.…”

Using mechanobiological mimicry of red blood cells to extend circulation times of hydrogel microparticles

“…Deformable particles that resembled RBCs in size and shape have been shown to deform in restricted channels (13) or capillaries (14) that were smaller than the particle diameter, though the modulus of these particles was not characterized (13) or was poorly matched to RBCs (14) and was restricted to in vitro testing in both cases. In a simulation of renal filtration of soft particles, microgels translocated through pores that were 1∕10th of the particle diameter under physiologically relevant pressures (15).…”

Compartmentalized Microhelices Prepared via Electrohydrodynamic Cojetting

“…Most of the micro‐organisms create unique patterns in their bodies, such as helical architectures 14. In terms of engineering, biological systems have been inspiring because of their potential for useful applications 14.…”