Drug delivery: Cellular Association and Assembly of a Multistage Delivery System Small 12/2010

The cover image shows a pseudo-colored scanning electron microscopy image of a macrophage with two adherent discoidal porous silicon microparticles. Filopodia extends from the cell surface to initiate cellular uptake of the microparticles by phagocytosis. The oxidized silicon microparticle has a negative surface charge and a diameter of 3.2 µm. Aminosilyation of the silicon surface introduces free amines and a positive surface charge. The pore openings are approximately 50 nm in diameter and can be tuned to accommodate diverse cargo such as iron oxide nanoparticles for imaging and drug-encapsulated polymeric micelles or liposomes for therapeutic applications. The surface of the microparticle is readily functionalized with targeting ligands to direct surface adhesion and cellular uptake. For more information, please read the Full Paper “Cellular Association and Assembly of a Multistage Delivery System” by R. E. Serda, M. Ferrari, et al., beginning on page 1329.