Figure 1
From: Rapid endosomal escape of prickly nanodiamonds: implications for gene delivery
Characterizations of nanodiamonds and their cellular uptake pathways.
(a) TEM image of nanodiamonds showing their irregular shape with sharp edge and corners. (b) Dynamic light scattering (DLS) result of nanodiamonds dispersed in PBS buffer. (c) FTIR spectra nanodiamonds, insert is the zeta potential of nanodiamonds in PBS buffer. Black arrow points to the characteristic dip (1780 cm−1) of –COOH group. (d) Fluorescence images of HepG2 cells incubated with nanodiamonds and the corresponding (e) transmitted images, insert is one enlarged typical cell. (f) Quantitative flow-cytometry data showing the inhibition of nanodiamonds’ uptake in the presence of inhibitors for different types of endocytosis, elucidating the cellular uptake mechanisms of nanodiamonds. ***p < 0.001 compared with control (n = 3 for all samples).
