Abstract

Nanomedicine is a new branch of medicine where nano-scaled materials are used for the detection and treatment of human diseases. It is a growing multidisciplinary area of research aiming to develop novel nanomaterials that can combine diagnostic and therapeutic components in one unique particle. Huge efforts have been done to better understand how the physical-chemical properties of nanoparticles (NPs) affect their interaction with the cell. It is now accepted that NP surfaces in a biological environment are immediately modified by the adsorption of proteins leading to a protein “corona” defining the biological identity of the particle. For NPs of the same material differences in size and surface charge alter the composition of the corona significantly. This implies that extreme care must be taken in the development of nanomedicine and nanotherapeutics in terms of controlling the manufacturing process of nanoparticles and control of the surface properties of the final product. Here, different approaches to functionalize the surface of nanoparticles designed for biomedical applications are presented. A methodology to address the different aspects governing the formation and the function of the protein corona in the biological environment is outlined. These data highlight the importance of this methodology as an analysis to be used in advance of the application of engineered NPs in biological environments.