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Targeting cancer cells: magnetic nanoparticles as drug carriers

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Abstract

Magnetic drug targeting employing nanoparticles as carriers is a promising cancer treatment avoiding side effects of conventional chemotherapy. We used iron oxide nanoparticles covered by starch derivatives with phosphate groups which bound mitoxantrone as chemotherapeutikum. In this letter we show that a strong magnetic field gradient at the tumour location accumulates the nanoparticles. Electron microscope investigations show that the ferrofluids can be enriched in tumour tissue and tumour cells.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Klinik und Poliklinik für Hals- Nasen- Ohren- kranke, Universität Erlangen – Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany

    Christoph Alexiou, Roswitha J. Schmid & Roland Jurgons

  2. Institut für Pathologie, Klinikum rechts der Isar, TUM, Munich, Germany

    Marcus Kremer

  3. Fakultät für Biologie I der LMU, LMU, Munich, Germany

    Gerhard Wanner

  4. chemicell, Berlin, Germany

    Christian Bergemann

  5. Physik - Department E17, TUM, Munich, Germany

    Ernst Huenges, Thomas Nawroth & Fritz G. Parak

  6. Hals- Nasen- Ohrenklinik und Polyklinik rechts der Isar, TUM, Munich, Germany

    Wolfgang Arnold

Authors
  1. Christoph Alexiou
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  2. Roswitha J. Schmid
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  3. Roland Jurgons
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  4. Marcus Kremer
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  5. Gerhard Wanner
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  6. Christian Bergemann
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  7. Ernst Huenges
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  8. Thomas Nawroth
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  9. Wolfgang Arnold
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  10. Fritz G. Parak
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fritz G. Parak.

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Alexiou, C., Schmid, R.J., Jurgons, R. et al. Targeting cancer cells: magnetic nanoparticles as drug carriers. Eur Biophys J 35, 446–450 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00249-006-0042-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00249-006-0042-1

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