Recent progress in the engineering of multifunctional colloidal nanoparticles for enhanced photodynamic therapy and bioimaging.

This up-to-date review summarizes the design and current fabrication strategies that have been employed in the area of mono- and multifunctional colloidal nanoparticles - nanocarriers well suited for photodynamic therapy (PDT) and diagnostic purposes. Rationally engineered photosensitizer (PS)-loaded nanoparticles may be achieved via either noncovalent (i.e.

Biological characterization of the modified poly(dimethylsiloxane) surfaces based on cell attachment and toxicity assays.

Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) is a material applicable for tissue and biomedical engineering, especially based on microfluidic devices. PDMS is a material used in studies aimed at understanding cell behavior and analyzing the cell adhesion mechanism. In this work, biological characterization of the modified PDMS surfaces based on cell attachment and toxicity assays was performed.

Lab-on-a-chip systems for photodynamic therapy investigations.

In recent years photodynamic therapy (PDT) has received widespread attention in cancer treatment due to its smaller surgical trauma, better selectivity towards tumor cells, reduced side effects and possibility of repeatable treatment. Since cancer is the second cause of death worldwide, scientists constantly seek for new potential therapeutic agents including nanotechnology-based photosensitizers used in PDT. The new-designed nanostructures must be carefully studied and well characterized what require analytically useful and powerful tools that enable real progress in nanoscience development.

Evaluation of nanoencapsulated verteporfin's cytotoxicity using a microfluidic system.

A new-generation of nanoencapsulated photosensitizers could be a good solution to perform effective photodynamic therapy (PDT). In this paper, we present physicochemical characterization and cellular investigation of newly prepared long-sustained release oil-core polyelectrolyte nanocarriers loaded with verteporfin (nano VP) in relation to free VP. For this purpose, a macroscale multiwell plates and multifunctional microfluidic system (for three types of cell cultures: monoculture, coculture and mixed culture) were used.

Microfluidic platform for photodynamic therapy cytotoxicity analysis of nanoencapsulated indocyanine-type photosensitizers.

The application of nanotechnology is important to improve research and development of alternative anticancer therapies. In order to accelerate research related to cancer diagnosis and to improve the effectiveness of cancer treatment, various nanomaterials are being tested. The main objective of this work was basic research focused on examination of the mechanism and effectiveness of the introduction of nanoencapsulated photosensitizers to human carcinoma (A549) and normal cells (MRC-5).