Cytotoxicity of the photoluminescent silicon nanocrystals

초록

Biocompatibility of photoluminescent silicon nanocrystals was tested using standard cytotoxicity protocols with murine macrophage cell line RAW 264.7. We investigated the cytotoxicity and inflammatory responses of cells exposed to silicon nanocrystals by several biological endpoints. Cell death ratio, morphological changes, and the levels of nitric oxide production were studied. Spatial position of the nanoparticles relative to cell body was investigated using fluorescent microscopy. No statistically significant cytotoxicity or inflammatory response was detected with autoclaved silicon nanoparticles at concentrations up to 20 mu g/ml in RAW 264.7 cells. The present study of murine macrophages, exposed to autoclaved silicon nanocrystals, will help define safety requirements for comparable nanoparticle biomedical applications.

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