Using Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis in the study of nanoparticle-based drug delivery and targeting

Studying nanoparticle-based drug delivery and targeting with Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis

Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) represents a rapid and information-rich multi-parameter nanoparticle characterization technique allowing the user to obtain number frequency particle size distributions of polydisperse nanoparticulate systems. It has resulted in its rapid adoption as an interesting new technique in a wide range of sectors within the pharmaceutical sciences. This white paper addresses some of the latest work reported in the literature in which NTA has been proposed, used and assessed in the study of nanoparticle-based drug delivery and targeting.

Introduction

Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) represents a rapid and information-rich multiparameter nanoparticle characterization technique allowing the user to obtain number frequency particle size distributions of polydisperse nanoparticulate systems. It has resulted in its rapid adoption as an interesting new technique in a wide range of sectors within the pharmaceutical sciences. This white paper addresses some of the latest work reported in the literature in which NTA has been proposed, used and assessed in the study of nanoparticle-based drug delivery and targeting.

Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) Overview

NTA utilizes the properties of both light scattering and Brownian motion in order to obtain the particle size distribution of samples in liquid suspension. A laser beam is passed through the sample chamber, and the particles in suspension in the path of this beam scatter light in such a manner that they can easily be visualized via a 20x magnification microscope onto which is mounted a camera. The camera, which operates at approximately 30 frames per second (fps), captures a video file of the particles moving under Brownian motion within the field of view of approximately 100 μm x 80 μm x 10 μm (Figure 1).