Scientists at the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have found a way to manipulate nanoparticles in such a way that scientists can expose cell cultures to nanoparticles and effectively assess how the particles interact with the living cells. This method of attracting and capturing metal-based nanoparticles on a surface and releasing them at the desired moment could help researchers answer questions about the potential toxicity of nanoparticles. Darwin Reyes, a physicist at NIST, said, “Many other methods of trapping require that you modify the surface of the nanoparticles in some way so that you can control them more easily. We take nanoparticles as they are, so that you can explore what you’ve actually got. Using this method, you can release them into a cell culture and watch how the cells react, which can give you a better idea of how cells in the body will respond.” The method also allows the researchers to collect the particles in a layer only one particle thick, reducing issues associated with clumping, a common problem that can mask the properties the particles exhibit when they encounter living tissue. Reyes said these combined advantages should make the new method especially useful in toxicology studies.
http://www.nist.gov/pml/semiconductor/nanoparticles-060711.cfm