Independency of Fe ions in hemoglobin on immunomagnetic reduction assay

Immunomagnetic reduction (IMR), which involves measuring the reduction in the ac magnetic susceptibility of magnetic reagents, is due to the association between bio-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles and target bio-molecules. This has been demonstrated for assaying proteins in solutions free of Fe ions, such as serum. In this work, the validity of IMR assay for samples rich in Fe ions like hemoglobin (Hb) is investigated. According to the results, there is no magnetic signal contributed by Fe-ion-rich Hb. Furthermore, the results show a high sensitivity in assaying hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) by using IMR.     

Synthesis of immunomagnetic nanoparticles and their application in the separation and purification of CD34 hematopoietic stem cells

The silica-coated superparamagnetic nanoparticles with the uniform diameter of about 60 nm were synthesized by reverse microemulsions method. And the magnetic nanoparticles were modified with N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (AEAPS). The immunomagnetic nanoparticles were then successfully prepared by covalently immobilizing anti-CD34⁺ monoclonal antibodies to the surface of amino silane modified magnetic particles. The cell separation results showed that the synthesized immunomagnetic nanoparticles could rapidly and conveniently separate the CD34⁺ cells with high efficiency and specificity than normal ones. The surface morphology of separated target cells was examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Atomic force microscope (AFM) also characterized the magnetic materials on the surface of the separated target cells for the first time, which further confirmed that the target cells were separated by the immunomagnetic nanoparticles. The viability of the separated cells was studied by culturing method and Beckman Vi-cell viability analyst. Therefore, our experiments provided a new, direct, rapid mode to separate target cells.     

Internal structure of magnetic endosomes

The internal structure of biological vesicles filled with magnetic nanoparticles is investigated using the following complementary analyses: electronic transmission microscopy, dynamic probing by magneto-optical birefringence and structural probing by Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS). These magnetic vesicles are magnetic endosomes obtained via a non-specific interaction between cells and anionic magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. Thanks to a magnetic purification process, they are probed at two different stages of their formation within HeLa cells: (i) adsorption of nanoparticles onto the cellular membrane and (ii) their subsequent internalisation within endosomes. Differences in the microenvironment of the magnetic nanoparticles at those two different stages are highlighted here. The dynamics of magnetic nanoparticles adsorbed onto cellular membranes and confined within endosomes is respectively 3 and 5 orders of magnitude slower than for isolated magnetic nanoparticles in aqueous media. Interestingly, SANS experiments show that magnetic endosomes have an internal structure close to decorated vesicles, with magnetic nanoparticles locally decorating the endosome membrane, inside their inner-sphere. These results, important for future biomedical applications, suggest that multiple fusions of decorated vesicles are the biological processes underlying the endocytosis of that kind of nanometric materials.     

Multiparametric magnetic immunoassays utilizing non-linear signatures of magnetic labels

A powerful route to utilizing magnetic nanoparticles as labels in magnetic immunoassays is to exploit their non-linear response when they are exposed to a multi-frequency alternating magnetic field. We have upgraded this non-linear method allowing for the detection, discrimination and quantification of particles of two kinds when mixed together, with no need for spatial resolution. Each kind of particle is characterized by a specific magnetic signature based on d²B(H)/dH². Appropriate data processing of the signature measured on a mixture of both particles allows for obtaining the amount of each particle. This will enable utilizing magnetic labels for multiparametric magnetic immunoassays.     

Detection of magnetic nanoparticles with magnetoencephalography

Superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) have been widely utilized in biomedical applications due to their extremely high sensitivity to magnetic signals. The present study explores the feasibility of a new type of nanotechnology-based imaging method using standard clinical magnetoencephalographic (MEG) systems equipped with SQUID sensors. Previous studies have shown that biological targets labeled with non-toxic, magnetized nanoparticles can be imaged by measuring the magnetic field generated by these particles. In this work, we demonstrate that (1) the magnetic signals from certain nanoparticles can be detected without magnetization using standard clinical MEG, (2) for some types of nanoparticles, only bound particles produce detectable signals, and (3) the magnetic field of particles several hours after magnetization is significantly stronger than that of un-magnetized particles. These findings hold promise in facilitating the potential application of magnetic nanoparticles to in vivo tumor imaging. The minimum amount of nanoparticles that produce detectable signals is predicted by theoretical modeling and computer simulation.     

Enhancing magnetic dipole emission with magnetic metamaterials

Magnetic dipole(MD) transitions are important for a range of technologies from quantum light sources and displays to lasers and bio-probes. However, the typical MD transitions are much weaker than their electric counterparts and are usually neglected in practical applications. Herein, we experimentally demonstrate that the MD transitions can be significantly enhanced by the well-developed magnetic metamaterials in the visible optical range. The magnetic metamaterials consist of silver nanostrips and a thick silver film, which are separated with an Eu~(3+):polymethyl methacrylate(PMMA) film. By controlling the thickness of the Eu~(3+):PMMA film, the magnetic resonance has been tuned to match the emission wavelength of MDs. Consequently,the intensity of MD emission has been significantly increased by around 30 times at the magnetic resonance wavelength, whereas the intensity of electric dipole emission is well-preserved. The corresponding numerical calculations reveal that the enhancement is directly generated by the magnetic resonance, which strongly increases the magnetic local density of states around the MD emitter and can efficiently radiate the MD emission into the far field. This is the first demonstration, to the best of our knowledge, that MD transitions can be improved by an additional degree of magnetic freedom, and we believe this research shall pave a new route towards bright magnetic emitters and their potential applications.     

Giant magnetic moment at open ends of multiwalled carbon nanotubes

The attractions of cantilevers made of multiwalled carbon nanotubes(MWNTs)and secured on one end are studied in the non-uniform magnetic field of a permanent magnet.Under an optical microscope,the positions and the corresponding deflections of the original cantilevers(with iron catalytic nanoparticles at the free end)and corresponding cut-off cantilevers(the free ends consisting of open ends of MWNTs)are studied.Both kinds of CNT cantilevers are found to be attracted by the magnet,and the point of application of force is proven to be at the tip of the cantilever.By measuring and comparing deflections between these two kinds of cantilevers,the magnetic moment at the open ends of the CNTs can be quantified.Due to the unexpectedly high value of the magnetic moment at the open ends of carbon nanotubes,it is called giant magnetic moment,and its possible mechanisms are proposed and discussed.     

Preparation and characterization of magnetic nanoparticles with controlled magnetization

The effect of molar ratio of two hydrated iron salts used as precursors into a (co)precipitation-based synthesis method, on the composition, size and specific saturation magnetization of mixed iron oxides and oxyhydroxides magnetic nanoparticles as reaction products, was studied. The preparation procedure is based on a salt-assisted solid-state chemical reaction. The obtained products are magnetic multiphase components with the mean size ranging from 3 to 10 nm and specific saturation magnetization between 25 and 95.5 emu/g. The specific saturation magnetization modifies in a non-linear manner as the molar ratio of the iron salts varies. Excepting one sample, for which Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ molar ratio was zero, all magnetic nanoparticles show a ferrofluid-like behaviour in the colloidal form. The small size, ferrofluid-like behaviour, and controlled specific saturation magnetization allow the use of new synthesized nanoparticles in specific biomedical or industrial applications.     

Magnetophoresis behaviour at low gradient magnetic field and size control of nickel single core nanobeads

Magnetic separation of organic compounds, proteins, nucleic acids and other biomolecules, and cells from complex reaction mixtures is becoming the most suitable solution for large production in bioindustrial purification and extraction processes. Optimal magnetic properties can be achieved by the use of metals. However, they are extremely sensitive to oxidation and degradation under atmospheric conditions. In this work Ni nanoparticles are synthesised by conventional solution reduction process with the addition of a non-ionic surfactant as a surface agent. The nanoparticles were surfacted in citric acid and then coated with silica to form single core Ni nanobeads. A magnetophoresis study at different magnetic field gradients and at the different steps of synthesis route was performed using Horizontal Low Gradient Magnetic Field (HLGMF) systems. The reversible aggregation times are reduced to a few seconds, allowing a very fast separation process.     

Antibody and DNA dual-labeled gold nanoparticles: Stability and reactivity

Gold nanoparticles labeled by both antibody (IgG) and single stranded DNA (ss-DNA) have been synthesized and characterized. The stability and reactivity of the dual-labeled nanoparticles were compared with the conventional IgG or ss-DNA modified nanoparticles. It was found that the IgG adsorption significantly improved the stability of the nanoparticles in aqueous solution, which is beneficial for attaching ss-DNA. The presence of IgG also effectively prohibits the desorption of ss-DNA against dithiothreitol (DTT) displacement. The coverage on dual-labeled nanoparticles was found to be 50 ± 15 ss-DNA/nanoparticle and 10 ± 2 IgG/nanoparticle, respectively, compared to the value of 70 ± 15 ss-DNA/nanoparticle of only ss-DNA-labeled gold nanoparticles. Dot-immuno and cross-linking experiments confirmed that both the IgG and ss-DNA retained their bioactivity on the nanoparticle surface. The dual-labeled nanoparticles have potential to be used as novel bio-probes for ultrasensitive detection.     

Synthetic and biogenic magnetite nanoparticles for tracking of stem cells and dendritic cells

Accurate delivery of cells to target organs is critical for success of cell-based therapies with stem cells or immune cells such as antigen-presenting dendritic cells (DC). Labeling with contrast agents before implantation provides a powerful means for monitoring cellular migration using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In this study, we investigated the uptake of fully synthesized or bacterial magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) into hematopoietic Flt3⁺ stem cells and DC from mouse bone marrow. We show that (i) uptake of both synthetic and biogenic nanoparticles into cells endow magnetic activity and (ii) low numbers of MNP-loaded cells are readily detected by MRI.     

Temperature-dependent magnetic anomalies of CuO nanoparticles

Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles with an average size of 25 nm were prepared by a sol-gel method. A detailed study was made of the magnetization of CuO nanoparticles using a maximum field of 60 kOe for temperatures between 8 and 300 K. Antiferromagnetic CuO nanoparticles exhibit anomalous magnetic properties, such as enhanced coercivity and magnetic moments. Significantly, the magnitude of the hysteresis component tends to weaken upon increase in temperature (>8 K). In addition, a hysteresis loop shift and coercivity enhancement are observed at 8 K in the field-cooled (FC, at 50 kOe) case. It is thought that the change in hysteresis behavior is due to the uncompensated surface spins of the CuO nanoparticles. The susceptibility (χ) plot showed that χ varied substantially at temperatures below 12 K, and this transition is due to the exchange interactions between the neighboring atoms at the nanoscale.     

Structural and magnetic characterization of soft-magnetic FeCo alloy nanoparticles

Soft-magnetic FeCo alloy nanoparticles with diameters less than 100 nm are prepared by ball milling. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) are used to characterize these particles. While the XPS spectrum from the as-prepared sample clearly shows Co photoemission peaks, no sign of Fe is observed in the same spectrum. However, Fe photoemission peaks appear after 1 h of Ar ion sputtering. A quantitative analysis of the XPS spectra shows an increase of Fe concentration versus sputtering time until the Fe:Co ratio of the bulk alloy is reached. In addition, the narrow scan Fe and Co 2p XPS spectra show that Co is more oxidized than Fe. All these measurements indicate that the nanoparticles have a Co shell and an Fe-rich core. They further demonstrate the usefulness of XPS combined with depth-profiling via sputtering to obtain element- and chemically-sensitive structural information on nanoparticles. XMCD as an element-specific magnetic analysis tool further reveals that Fe and Co are ferromagnetically coupled in these particles. The information obtained is useful for establishing a structure–property relation for the studied material that is expected to have applications as a soft magnetic material at high temperatures.     

Particle size effect on phase and magnetic properties of polymer-coated magnetic nanoparticles

Polymer-coated magnetic nanoparticles are hi-tech materials with ample applications in the field of biomedicine for the treatment of cancer and targeted drug delivery. In this study, magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical reduction of FeCl₂ solution with sodium borohydride and coated with amine-terminated polyethylene glycol (aPEG). By varying the concentration of the reactants, the particle size and the crystallinity of the particles were varied. The particle size was found to increase from 6 to 20 nm and the structure becomes amorphous-like with increase in the molar concentration of the reactant. The magnetization at 1 T field (M_1T) for all samples is > 45 emu/g while the coercivity is in the range of 100-350 Oe. When the ethanol-suspended particles are subjected to an alternating magnetic field of 4 Oe at 500 kHz, the temperature is increased to a maximum normalized temperature (3.8 °C/mg) with decreasing particle size.     

Improving surfactant grafting in magnetic colloids

The grafting number of surfactant coating on magnetite nanoparticles in a magnetic colloid (magnetic fluid), defined as the number of surfactant molecules adsorbed per surface area of nanoparticles, was successfully obtained from the atomic absorption spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. We found that the increases of grafting number with the molar concentration of surfactant and the adsorption temperature can be quantitatively measured, making it possible to produce well controlled, stable magnetic colloids that are precursors for many magnetic nanostructures.     

Color-tunable magnetic and luminescent hybrid nanoparticles: Synthesis, optical and magnetic properties

A facile method for synthesizing color-tunable magnetic and luminescent hybrid bifunctional nanoparticles is presented. A series of CdSe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots (QDs) with different sizes were successfully fabricated and self-assembled to Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (MNP), which were subsequently coated with a polyethyleneimine (PEI) layer to prevent large aggregates. The hydrophobic QDs capped with trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) formed a coating surrounding MNP, and were transferred into hydrophilic phase by PEI with high efficiency. The samples were characterized by TEM, FT-IR, XRD, EDS, UV-vis spectrophotometer, fluorescent spectrophotometer and PPMS. Results show that the original properties of the nanoparticles were well-preserved in the hybrid structure. All MNP-QDs hybrid nanoparticles showed paramagnetic behavior and the nanocomposites were still highly luminescent with no shift in the PL peak position.     

Magnetic behavior of iron oxide nanoparticle–biomolecule assembly

Iron oxide nanoparticles of 8–20 nm in size were investigated as an assembly with biomolecules synthesized in an aqueous solution. The magnetic behavior of the biomolecule–nanoparticles assembly depends sensitively on the morphology and hence the distribution of the nanoparticles, where the dipole coupling between the nanoparticles governs the overall magnetic behavior. In assemblies of iron oxide nanoparticles with trypsin, we observe a formation of unusual self-alignment of nanoparticles within trypsin molecules. In such an assembly structure, the magnetic particles tend to exhibit a lower spin-glass transition temperature than as-synthesized bare iron oxide nanoparticles probably due to reduced interparticle couplings within the molecular matrix. The observed self-alignment of nanoparticles in biomolecules may be a useful approach for directed nanoparticles assembly.     

Site-directed research of magnetic nanoparticles in magnetic drug targeting

The targeting of ferrofluids composed of 20 nm magnetic particles was studied through simulation and animal experiment. The results showed that some magnetic particles were concentrated in the target area depending on the applied magnetic field. Through theoretical analysis, the retention of the magnetic nanoparticles in a target area is due to large magnetic liquid beads formed by the magnetic field.     

Laser ablation synthesis of monodispersed magnetic alloy nanoparticles

Monodispersed CoPt alloy nanoparticles were synthesized by a pulsed laser ablation (PLA) technique coupled with a low-pressure operating differential mobility analyzer (LP-DMA). The CoPt alloy nanoparticles were generated by laser ablating a solid Co–Pt target. In CoPt alloy nanoparticles synthesized from a target with a Co composition of 75 at%, the nanoparticle surfaces were covered by an oxide layer and exhibited a core-shell structure. In contrast, no shell was observed in particles generated from a target with a Co:Pt ratio of 50:50 at%. According to an EDX analysis, the compositions of the individual nanoparticles were almost the same as that of the target material. Finally, the magnetic hysteresis loops of the CoPt alloy nanoparticles exhibited ferromagnetism.