Assessing the interactions between nanoparticles and biological barriers in vitro: a new challenge for microscopy techniques in nanomedicine

Flavia  Carton; Manuela Malatesta

doi:10.4081/ejh.2022.3603

Authors

Flavia Carton

Department of Health Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale “A. Avogadro”, Novara, Italy.

Manuela Malatesta

manuela.malatesta@univr.it

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8196-9232

Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Anatomy and Histology Section, University of Verona, Italy.

Nanoconstructs intended to be used as biomedical tool must be assessed for their capability to cross biological barriers. However, studying in vivo the permeability of biological barriers to nanoparticles is quite difficult due to the many structural and functional factors involved. Therefore, the in vitro modeling of biological barriers -2D cell monocultures, 2D/3D cell co-cultures, microfluidic devices- is gaining more and more relevance in nanomedical research. Microscopy techniques play a crucial role in these studies, as they allow both visualizing nanoparticles inside the biological barrier and evaluating their impact on the barrier components. This paper provides an overview of the various microscopical approaches used to investigate nanoparticle translocation through in vitro biological barrier models. The high number of scientific articles reported highlights the great contribution of the morphological and histochemical approach to the knowledge of the dynamic interactions between nanoconstructs and the living environment.

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How to Cite

Carton, F. ., & Malatesta, M. (2022). Assessing the interactions between nanoparticles and biological barriers in vitro: a new challenge for microscopy techniques in nanomedicine. European Journal of Histochemistry, 66(4). https://doi.org/10.4081/ejh.2022.3603

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