Calcium phosphate-coated nanoparticles

Figure 3.4 (a) Directional aggregation of HA-coated SPION functionalized with bioactive peptide under a magnetic field, (b) Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image of calcium phosphate coated y-Fe Oj nanoparticles, scale bar=200nm. 

Pareta RA, Taylor E, Webster TJ. Increased osteoblast density in the presence of novel calcium phosphate coated magnetic nanoparticles. Nanotechnology 2008 19 265101. 

Fig. 7 Delivery of nucleic acid drags by polymer-coated calcium phosphate (CaP) nanoparticles...

Kakizawa Y, Furukawa S, Kataoka K (2004). Block copolymer-coated calcium phosphate nanoparticles sensing intracellular environment for oligodeoxynucleotide and siRNA delivery./. Control. Rel. 97(2) 345-356. 

There have been attempts to develop aquasomes as an alternative to liposomes for drug delivery. They consist of porous nanoparticles, specially prepared by sonication of precipitated calcium phosphates such as hydroxyapatite or dicalcium phosphate. These particles are then coated with oligomeric molecules containing -OH groups which can anchor an outer layer of drug molecules or other bioactive species. The outer layer of molecules becomes immobilised or stabilised during transportation to the required site for action. Aquasomes may serve to construct anti-viral decoys which act as vaccines. 

Roohani-Esfahani SI, Nouri-Khorasani S, Lu Z, Appleyard R, Zreiqat H. The influence hydroxyapatite nanoparticle shape and size on the properties of biphasic calcium phosphate scaffolds coated with hydroxyapatitePCL composites. Biomaterials 2010 31(21) 5498-509. 

In addition to the above, preparation in w/o microemulsions of nanoparticles of various other types of compounds, viz. silica-coated iron oxide, Fe203-Ag nanocomposite, oxides of ytrium, erbium, neodymium, vanadium and cobalt, titanates of barium and lead, ferrites of barium, strontium, manganese, cobalt and zinc, oxide superconductors, aluminates, zirconium silicate, barium tungstate, phosphates of calcium, aluminium and zinc, carbonates of calcium and barium, sulphides of molybdenum and sodium, selenides of cadmium and silver etc. have been reported. Preparative sources and related elaboration can be found in [24]. 

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