All-Aqueous, Surfactant-Free, and pH-Driven Nanoformulation Methods of Dual-Responsive Polymer Nanoparticles and their Potential use as Nanocarriers of pH-Sensitive Drugs.

All-aqueous, surfactant-free, and pH-driven nanoformulation methods to generate pH- and temperature-responsive polymer nanoparticles (NPs) are described. Copolymers comprising a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) backbone with a few units of 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) are solubilized in acidic buffer (pH 2.0) to produce pH-sensitive NPs.

Cellulases immobilization on chitosan-coated magnetic nanoparticles: application for Agave Atrovirens lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysis.

In the present study, Trichoderma reesei cellulase was covalently immobilized on chitosan-coated magnetic nanoparticles using glutaraldehyde as a coupling agent. The average diameter of magnetic nanoparticles before and after enzyme immobilization was about 8 and 10 nm, respectively. The immobilized enzyme retained about 37 % of its initial activity, and also showed better thermal and storage stability than free enzyme.

From hollow shells to artificial cells: biointerface engineering on polyelectrolyte capsules.

Biomimetic composites can be fabricated by coating hollow polyelectrolyte capsules with biological interfaces such as a phospholipid membrane and proteins. Polyelectrolyte capsules have been templated applying the Layer-by-Layer technique of polyelectrolyte assembled on decomposable cores, which are destroyed after the assembly of the polyelectrolyte multilayer. Phospholipid vesicles of 200-300 nm size are spreaded on the capsule wall forming a continuous lipid membrane.