2- Aminoethyl methacrylate functional monomer

Carboxy- and amino-functionaUzed polystyrene nanoparticles have been synthesized by the miniemulsion process using styrene and the functional monomers acrylic acid (AA) or 2-aminoethyl methacrylate hydrochloride (AEMH) as functional comonomers [30,31]. By changing the amount of the comonomer, different surface densities of the charged groups could be realized. Since a fluorescent dye was incorporated inside the nanoparticles, the uptake behavior of different cell Unes could be determined as a function of the surface functionalization [30,31]. It was found that, in general, the uptake of the nanoparticles into the cells increases with increasing functionality on the particle s surface. For HeLa cells, for example, the internalized particle amount was up to sixfold better for carboxy-functionaUzed polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles than for non-functionalized PS particles. For amino functionalized PS nanoparticles, an up to 50-fold enhanced uptake could be detected. In order to investigate the actual uptake pathway into HeLa cells, positively... 

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