A team of scientists from Univ. College London and Kings College London has created synthetic vesicles, dubbed nanoswimmers, that are capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
The BBB is a highly selective membrane that separates circulating blood from extracellular fluid in the brain. The ability to deliver drugs through the BBB to the brain and central nervous system (CNS) is a major challenge in healthcare. Because the brain consumes about 20% of the body’s glucose, the bloodstream transports a high flow of glucose across the BBB. The research team created asymmetric polymersomes that exploit this glucose gradient to gain access to the brain.
The scientists proposed synthetic vesicles capable of self-propulsion through chemotaxis — movement driven by a difference in chemical concentration. They achieved this by encapsulating glucose oxidase alone, or glucose oxidase in combination with catalase, into biocompatible polymersomes.
“Polymersomes can be made of materials that are readily clinically tested,” says Guiseppe Battaglia, a professor at Univ. College London.
The team demonstrated that using two...
Would you like to access the complete CEP News Update?
No problem. You just have to complete the following steps.
You have completed 0 of 2 steps.
-
Log in
You must be logged in to view this content. Log in now.
-
AIChE Membership
You must be an AIChE member to view this article. Join now.
Copyright Permissions
Would you like to reuse content from CEP Magazine? It’s easy to request permission to reuse content. Simply click here to connect instantly to licensing services, where you can choose from a list of options regarding how you would like to reuse the desired content and complete the transaction.
