Unraveling the Formation of Gelatin Nanospheres by Means of Desolvation.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 37967168.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c03459 and PMC identifier 10722596.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Gelatin nanoparticles (GNPs) have been widely studied for a plethora of biomedical applications, but their formation mechanism remains poorly understood, which precludes precise control over their physicochemical properties. This leads to time-consuming parameter adjustments without a fundamental grasp of the underlying mechanism. Here, we analyze and visualize in a time-resolved manner the mechanism by which GNPs are formed during desolvation of gelatin as a function of gelatin molecular weight and type of desolvating agent. Through various analytical and imaging techniques, we unveil a multistage process that is initiated by the formation of primary particles that are ∼18 nm in diameter (wet state). These primary particles subsequently assemble into colloidally stable GNPs with a raspberry-like structure and a hydrodynamic diameter of ∼300 nm. Our results create a basic understanding of the formation mechanism of gelatin nanoparticles, which opens new opportunities for precisely tuning their physicochemical and biofunctional properties.