A team of scientists has developed a nanotsepochki that fall into metastasis long before their transformation into new tissue, and determined their location using magnetic resonance imaging.
According to the study, the picture of the exact location and size of metastases may be useful in the event of the need for surgery or ablation. Moreover, the technology can be used to search for cancer, for transporting drugs that kill cancer cells in the well to form a tumor. The results were published in the journal ACS Nano, which is owned by the U.S. chemical community (American Chemical Society).
As one of the researchers, Efstathios Karafanasis (Efstathios Karathanasis), mikrometostazy impossible to see with normal vision, but precisely keep track of all their locations is vital, because even a single metastasis may be the cause of death.
The existing method of determining the date of tumors does not identify new cancer cells, which appeared in new places. The reason for this behavior is matastazov different from the behavior of fully developed tumors.
Efstathios Karafanasis explained that the main reference in this process are the integrins, which are a kind of glue that connects the cancer cells to the walls of blood vessels that feed the body. On the surface of healthy blood vessel wall integrins are not available, patients are sure to have.
Created nanodevices will be transported to the central blood flow to the walls of blood vessels. Although the most common form of nanoparticles is a sphere, in this case, the scientists had to choose a different form, as the area can keep moving with the flow. For getting to a place marker of cancer, scientists have developed nanotsepochku consisting of nanoparticles. Moreover, the researchers modified the nanoparticles so that they can connect with each other, like figurines designer Lego. Due to the size and shape of the chain may come out of the main blood flow and to concentrate on the walls of blood vessels.
