Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2012 Oct 18.
Published in final edited form as: Acc Chem Res. 2011 Jun 15;44(10):903–913. doi: 10.1021/ar200018x

Figure 6.

Figure 6

MSNPs in which stalks containing benzimidazoles are attached to the surfaces of SNPs. They are encircled by β-CD rings, and upon the addition of acid, the benzimidazoles are protonated, causing the β-CD rings to dissociate from the stalks, releasing the cargo – either Hoechst 33342 for cell imaging or doxorubicin for inducing apoptosis. KB-31 cancer cells endocytosed the doxorubicin-loaded fluorescein-labeled MSNPs within 3 h. This action is followed by doxorubicin release to the nucleus, induction of cytotoxicity and the appearance of apoptotic bodies after 60 h (indicated by arrows), followed by nuclear fragmentation after 80 h.