Manipulation of New Fluorescent Magnetic Nanoparticles with an Electromagnetic Needle, Allowed Determining the Viscosity of the Cytoplasm of M-HeLa Cells

Abstract

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have recently begun to be actively used in biomedicine applications, for example, for targeted drug delivery, in tissue engineering, and in magnetic resonance imaging. The study of the magnetic field effect on MNPs internalized into living cells is of particular importance since it allows a non-invasive influence on cellular activity. There is data stating the possibility to manipulate and control individual MNPs utilizing the local magnetic field gradient created by electromagnetic needles (EN). The present work aimed to demonstrate the methodological and technical approach for manipulating the local magnetic field gradient, generated by EN, novel luminescent MNPs internalized in HeLa cancer cells. The controlling of the magnetic field intensity and estimation of the attractive force of EN was demonstrated. Both designs of EN and their main characteristics are also described. Depending on the distance and applied voltage, the attractive force ENs ranged from 0.056 ± 0.002 to 37.85 ± 3.40 pN. As a practical application of the presented, the evaluation of viscous properties of the HeLa cell’s cytoplasm, based on the measurement of the movement rate of MNPs inside cells under impact of a known magnetic force, was carried out; the viscosity was 1.45 ± 0.04 Pa·s.

Numerical simulation of nanoneedle-cell membrane collision: minimum magnetic force and initial kinetic energy for penetration

“…It's important to note that the entire process of magnetic particle penetration into cells encompasses three phases: first, the capture and movement of particles by magnetic fields; second, structural failure and puncture of cell membrane, along with the necessary forces and energy for this process; third, the intracellular motion of the particles into cell cytosol to deliver the therapeutic payloads to cell nucleus [30]. However, future research will be required to integrate the findings of this study with the parameters of the other two phases.…”