It is necessary to understand the cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of food-grade delivery systems, such as β-lactoglobulin (β-lg) nanoparticles, for the application of bioactive compounds to functional foods. The objectives of this study were to investigate the relationships between the physicochemical properties of β-lg nanoparticles, such as particle size and zeta-potential value, and their c...

Transition metal complexes provide a promising avenue for the design of therapeutic and diagnostic agents, but the limited understanding of their cellular uptake is a roadblock to their effective application. Here, we examine the mechanism of cellular entry of a luminescent ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complex, Ru(DIP) 2dppz (2+) (where DIP = 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline and dppz = dipyridophe...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Insulin has several physiologic actions that include stimulation of cellular glucose and potassium uptake. The ability of insulin to induce glucose uptake by cells is impaired in type 2 diabetes mellitus, but whether potassium uptake is similarly impaired is not known. This study examines whether the cellular uptake of these molecules is regulated in concert or indepen...

Effective regulation of nanoparticle (NP) uptake facilitates the NP-based therapeutics and diagnostics. Here, we report the use of insulin and 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) to modulate the cellular uptake of glucose-functionalized quantum dots (Glc-QDs) in C2C12 muscle cells. The cellular uptake of Glc-QDs can be modulated up to almost two-fold under insulin stimulation while be down-regulated in the p...

BACKGROUND Bis[N-ethoxy,N-ethyl(dithiocarbamato)]nitrido Tc (V) (TcN-NOET) is a new technetium complex proposed as a tracer of myocardial perfusion. However, its cellular uptake mechanisms are unknown, although membrane localization on rat heart preparations and preferential binding to polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) have been reported. Because of the central role of calcium in PMN actions...

Background—Bis[N-ethoxy,N-ethyl(dithiocarbamato)]nitrido Tc (V) (TcN-NOET) is a new technetium complex proposed as a tracer of myocardial perfusion. However, its cellular uptake mechanisms are unknown, although membrane localization on rat heart preparations and preferential binding to polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) have been reported. Because of the central role of calcium in PMN actions...

Background: Zinc (Zn) as an important trace element is essential for testicular development and spermatogenesis. Molecular mechanism of Zn action in the reproductive system may be related to metal binding low-molecular weight proteins, metallothioneins (MT). Our objective was to determine the effect of Zn on two important isoforms of MT, MT1M and MT1G genes expression on testicular sertoli cell...

Iron and zinc interact at the enterocyte during absorption, but the mechanism(s) remain elusive. The aim was, therefore, to understand the mechanism of interaction using kinetic analyses of iron and zinc uptake, individually and in combination under normal and altered cellular mineral concentrations in human intestinal Caco-2 cell line. Striking differences in kinetic parameters were observed b...

INTRODUCTION Nanoparticles (NPs) are used extensively in drug delivery. They are administered through various routes in the host, and their uptake by the cellular environment has been observed in several pathways. After uptake, NPs interact with cells to different extents, depending on their size, shape, surface properties, ligands tagged to the surface and tumor architecture. Complete understa...