Cellular uptake of nanoparticles for stem cell labeling and tracking is a critical technique for biomedical therapeutic applications. However, current techniques suffer from low intracellular labeling efficiency and cytotoxic effects, which has led to great interest in the development of a new labeling strategy. Using silica-coated nanoparticles conjugated with rhodamine B isothiocyanate (RITC) (SR), we tested the cellular uptake efficiency, biocompatibility, proliferation or differentiation ability with murine bone marrow derived hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. The bone marrow hematopoietic cells showed efficient uptake with SR with dose or time dependent manner and also provided a higher uptake on hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. Biocompatibility tests revealed that the SR had no deleterious effects on cell cytotoxicity, proliferation, or multi-differentiation capacities in vitro and in vivo. SR nanoparticles are advantageous over traditional labeling techniques as they possess a high level of cellular internalization without limiting the biofunctionality of the cells. Therefore, SR provides a useful alternative for gene or drug delivery into hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells for basic research and clinical applications.

ABSTRACT   INTRODUCTION   MATERIALS AND METHODS    Preparation of Nanoparticles    Preparation of Hematopoietic Cells    Flow Cytometry Analysis    Cell Viability and Proliferation Assay    Cell Cycle Analysis    Colony-Forming-Cell Ability Assay    In Vivo Hematopoietic Reconstitution Activity    Statistical Analysis   RESULTS    Uptake Efficiency into Bone Marrow Hematopoietic Cells    Cell Proliferation and Cytotoxic Effects    In Vitro Hematopoietic Differential Effects    In Vivo Hematopoietic Reconstitution Effects    Intracellular Uptake into Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells   DISCUSSION   REFERENCES

• Gyesik Min(Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, College of Bioscience, Gyeongnam National University of Science & Technology)
• Dong-Ku Kim(Department of Animal Biotechnology) Corresponding author