Wrapping dynamics and full uptake conditions for nonspherical active nanoparticles

TL;DR

This paper develops a theoretical framework to understand the wrapping dynamics of nonspherical active nanoparticles by cell membranes, identifying critical conditions for full uptake and factors influencing efficiency, with implications for drug delivery design.

Contribution

It introduces a general wrapping equation for nonspherical self-propelled nanoparticles using Onsager variational principle and derives critical conditions for full uptake.

Findings

Critical conditions for continuous and snapthrough full wrapping are theoretically derived.

Enhancing activity, adhesion energy, and reducing membrane tension improve wrapping efficiency.

The model aligns well with numerical phase diagrams and offers insights for nanoparticle design.

Abstract

The cellular uptake of self-propelled nanoparticles (NPs) or viruses, usually nonspherical, by cell membrane is crucial in many biological processes. In this study, using Onsager variational principle, we obtain a general wrapping equation for nonspherical self-propelled nanoparticles. Two analytical critical conditions are theoretically derived, one for the continuous full uptake of prolate particles and the other for snapthrough full wrapping of oblate particles. They capture considerably well the full uptake critical boundaries in the phase diagrams constructed in terms of active force, aspect ratio, adhesion energy density, and membrane tension based on numerical calculations. It is found that enhancing activity (active force), reducing effective dynamic viscosity, increasing adhesion energy density, and decreasing membrane tension, can significantly improve the wrapping efficiency for the self-propelled particles. These results elucidate some of the previous specific investigations conclusively and may offer novel possibilities for designing an effective active NP-based vehicle for controlled drug delivery.