Effects of Ag Nanoparticle Flow Rates on the Progress of the Cell Cycle Under Continuously Flowing Dynamic Exposure Conditions

Abstract

In this study, we have investigated the flow rate effects of Ag nanoparticle (NP) suspensions on the progress of the cell cycle by using a microfluidic image cytometry ( μFIC )-based approach. Compared with the conventional "static" exposure conditions, enhancements in G2 phase arrest were observed for the cells under continuously flowing "dynamic" exposure conditions. The "dynamic" exposure conditions, which mimic in vivo systems, induced an enhanced cytotoxicity by accelerating G2 phase arrest and subsequent apoptosis processes. Moreover, we have also shown that the increases in delivered NP dose due to the continuous supply of Ag NPs contributed dominantly to the enhanced cytotoxicity observed under the "dynamic" exposure conditions, while the shear stress caused by these slowly flowing fluids (i.e., flow rates of 6 and 30μL/h ) had only a minor influence on the observed enhancement in cytotoxicity.