Furlani E.P., Ng K.C.
University at Buffalo, US
Keywords: drift-diffusion analysis, gene delivery, magnetic nanoparticle transport, magnetofection, magnetophoresis
Magnetic nanoparticles are finding increasing use in a broad range of bioapplications, primarily as carrier particles for biomaterials such as cells, proteins, antigens and DNA. The use of biofunctional magnetic particles enables selective immobilization and transport of a biomaterial using an applied magnetic field. Magnetic biotransport also accelerates the delivery of a biomaterial thereby overcoming diffusion-limited transport. This enables applications such as magnetofection, which involves the transfection of cells in a culture. In this process, magnetic nanoparticles with surface-bound gene vectors are directed towards target cells using an applied magnetic field. The magnetic force accelerates the nanoparticle transport and enables rapid process times with significantly improved transfection rates. In this paper we analyze magnetofection using a magnetic nanoparticle transport model. Our analysis takes into account fluidic and magnetic forces as well as Brownian motion. We solve 1D and 2D nanoparticle drift/diffusion equations numerically using the finite volume method (FVM), but we use analytical expressions for the force components. We perform 1D and 2D simulations of magnetofection and evaluate particle transport as a function of key magnetic parameters. We compare our 1D analysis with published experimental data. We also present a FVM-based numerical method for determining particle accumulation and localized saturation.
Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: 3, Nanotechnology 2008: Microsystems, Photonics, Sensors, Fluidics, Modeling, and Simulation – Technical Proceedings of the 2008 NSTI Nanotechnology Conference and Trade Show, Volume 3
Published: June 1, 2008
Pages: 304 - 307
Industry sectors: Medical & Biotech | Sensors, MEMS, Electronics
Topic: Micro & Bio Fluidics, Lab-on-Chip
ISBN: 978-1-4200-8505-1