Nanoparticles used in biomedical applications are exposed to a host of extracellular proteins that can non-specifically adsorb to the nanoparticle surface. We have studied how blood serum proteins can direct the cellular binding of nanoparticles. We have determined that cationic nanoparticle binding is increased in the presence of serum proteins, and binding occurs to a scavenger receptor on the cell surface. In comparison, the cellular binding of anionic nanoparticles is inhibited by serum proteins and the nanoparticle binds to native protein receptors.

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