The impact of nanoparticle shape on cellular internalisation and transport: what do the different analysis methods tell us?

Abstract

This article focuses on how nanoparticle shape affects the cellular internalisation and transport of nanoparticles inside cells and what the different analytical methods for determining nanoparticle internalisation by cells tell us. Rod-shaped nanoparticles typically show greater cellular internalisation relative to spherical nanoparticles, although there are studies with contradictory conclusions. The contradiction may be a result of differences in the materials being used in the comparison and/or a result of the analytical method employed. Finally, future opportunities in studying cellular internalisation with 3D cell-culture models and light-sheet microscopy are discussed.