Another Nanoparticle Demonstration
As I've mentioned in the past, scientists are making great strides in applying nanoparticles to therapies requiring the carefully destruction of specific cells - such as cancers. The trick is to use the nanoparticle as a keychain to hold all the biochemical keys, homing devices, sensors, identifiers and therapies needed to get the job done. Over at Nanowerk, you'll find another example of this sort of work, complete with some nice diagrams: researchers "designed nanoparticles they dubbed Probes Encapsulated by Biologically Localized Embedding (PEBBLEs) to carry a variety of agents on their surface, each with a unique function. The particles consist of an iron oxide core that serves as an MRI contrast agent. Attached to them are copies of a cancer-targeting peptide called F3, as well as a light-absorbing compound called photofrin that kills cells when hit with red light. When [researchers] used their PEBBLEs to treat rats previously injected with cancer cells inside their brains they saw very clear results: A single IV injection of a targeted therapeutic nanoparticle dose, coupled with a single 5 min photodynamic therapy treatment, leads not only to an increase in the rat survival rate but accomplishes complete tumor remission."