Superparamagnetic Nanoparticles as a Powerful Systems Biology Characterization Tool in the Physiological Context

Spying on SPIONs: Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) bearing a mitochondrial targeting peptide (MTP), a cyclic RGD peptide for internalization (cRGD), and a fluorophore for tracking can be targeted to mitochondria. After magnetic isolation from the cells, 48 proteins are identified by mass spectrometry to be interacting with the MTP-cRGD-SPIONs in a network that consists of 308 interactions (see picture).