XXXX choice is critical for successful functionalization of nanoparticles.

@entity35 @entity1911 @entity1933 @entity2140 @entity8681 @entity10157
Nanoparticles (NPs) show new characteristics compared to the corresponding bulk material. These nanoscale properties make them interesting for various applications in biomedicine and life sciences. One field of application is the use of magnetic NPs to support regeneration in the nervous system. Drug delivery requires a functionalization of NPs with bio-functional molecules. In our study, we functionalized self-made @entity8681 -coated @entity1933 NPs with nerve @entity2140 (NGF) and @entity10157 ( @entity10157 ). Next, we tested the bio-functionality of NGF in a @entity35 @entity1911 cell line (PC12) and the bio-functionality of @entity10157 in an organotypic spinal cord culture. Covalent binding of NGF to @entity8681 -NPs impaired bio-functionality of NGF, but non-covalent approach differentiated PC12 cells reliably. Non-covalent binding of @entity10157 showed a satisfying bio-functionality of @entity10157 : @entity8681 -NPs, but turned out to be unstable in conjugation to the @entity8681 -NPs. Taken together, our study showed the importance of assessing bio-functionality and binding stability of functionalized growth factors using proper biological models. It also shows that successful functionalization of magnetic NPs with growth factors is dependent on the used binding chemistry and that it is hardly predictable. For use as therapeutics, functionalization strategies have to be reproducible and future studies are needed.
