Nano-drug delivery techniques are expanding the possibilities for delivering a broad spectrum of biomolecular and synthetic therapeutic agents into a targeted region of the body. The effectiveness of any drug delivery strategy relies heavily on the characterization of various nano formulations, including nanostructure, stabilization, and biological transit through the body. This necessitates the use of advanced characterization methods such as chromatography, X-ray scattering, electrophoresis, spectroscopy, zeta potential testing, mass spectrometry, and microscopy.
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a valuable and powerful tool for characterizing nanoparticles (NPs) and is commonly used in the fabrication of nano-drug delivery systems. TEM is used to determine the shape, size, and morphology of NPs, and the imaging has significantly greater resolution and generates high-quality images. A TEM micrograph can reveal the amount of nanoparticle exfoliation, intercalation, and orientation, and can demonstrate the pattern of distribution and dispersal of NPs in applications like polymer matrices utilized in nanocomposite synthesis.
TEM can also be used to track the release of drugs from nanocarriers throughout time, offering data on the kinetics and mechanisms of the release. At the cellular level, TEM can provide definitive data on the internal mechanisms enabling NPs to enter cells bypassing the plasma membrane.
The use of TEM in nanomedicine is critical in the development of drug delivery systems that release therapeutic drugs at the ideal rate and target. TEM can offer insights into the interactions of NPs with gas, solid, or liquid-phase substrates, and can reveal how drugs are encapsulated within NPs or other nanocarriers. Overall, TEM is a valuable tool for characterizing NPs and their proficient design and adoption of safe procedures to be used in nanomedicine.
Date: Nov 20 2023
