Synthesis and characterization of MFe2O4 (M = Co, Ni, Mn) magnetic nanoparticles for modulation of angiogenesis in chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM).

In this study, we report the synthesis and characterization studies of amine-functionalized MFe2O4 (Co, Ni, Mn) nanoparticles. The synthesis process was accomplished by refluxing metal chloride precursors in ethylene glycol in the presence of sodium acetate and ethanolamine. The average crystallite sizes of the synthesized particles are found to be in the range of 8-10 nm. The synthesized particles are characterized using X-ray diffraction, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller technique, FTIR, dynamic light scattering, Raman and UV-visible spectroscopy for crystal structure, average size, surface area, pore diameter and hydrodynamic diameter, phase and functional group determination. The surface morphology and elemental composition were studied by scanning electron microscope and X-ray fluorescence respectively. Magnetic behavior up to fields of 3 T at room temperature measured in Quantum Design Physical Property Measurement System (QD PPMS) magnetometer showed the superparamagnetic behavior of these particles. Modulation of angiogenesis by the nanoparticles was studied in a chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane model by analysis of blood vessel development and effect on hemoglobin level using imaging and colorimetric methods. An enhancement in the angiogenesis compared to the saline control was observed for all the ferrite nanoparticles with a relatively optimal activity in case of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles.