Direct Permeation of Nanoparticles across Cell Membrane: A Review

Nanoparticles have attracted much attention as a key material for new biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. For success in these applications, the nanoparticles are required to translocate across the cell membrane and to reach to inside of the cell. Among several translocation pathways of nanoparticles, the direct permeation pathway has a great advantage due to its high delivery efficacy. However, despite many research efforts, key properties and factors for driving the direct permeation of nanoparticle and its underlying mechanisms are far from being understood. In this article, experimental and computational studies regarding the direct permeation of nanoparticles across a cell membrane will be reviewed. Firstly, experimental studies on the nanoparticle-cell interactions, where spontaneous direct permeation of nanoparticles was observed, are reviewed.