Magnetically labeled cells with surface-modified fe3 o4 spherical and rod-shaped magnetic nanoparticles for tissue engineering applications.

Magnetically targeted cells with internalized magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) could allow the success of cell transplantation and cell-based therapies, overcoming low cell retention that occurs when delivering cells by intravenous or local injection. Upon magnetization, these cells could then accumulate and stimulate the regeneration of the tissue in situ. Magnetic targeting of cells requires a detailed knowledge between interactions of engineered nanomaterials and cells, in particular the influence of shape and surface functionalization of MNPs. For the first time, cellular internalization of amino surface-modified iron oxide nanoparticles of two different shapes (nanospheres or nanorods) is studied. MNPs show high cellular uptake and labeled cells could exhibit a strong reaction with external magnetic fields. Compared to nanorods, nanospheres show better internalization efficiency, and labeled cells exhibit strong transportation reaction with external magnetic fields. Contiguous viable cell-sheets are developed by magnetic-force-based tissue engineering. The results confirm that the developed magnetic-responsive nano-biomaterials have potential applicability in tissue engineering or cellular therapies.