UCLA

The transport of substances across the membrane and into the cell is essential for homeostasis. While biomolecules are intracellularly transported for essential functions of cellular growth and disposal, novel delivery vectors utilize the processes of endocytosis for therapy treatment, disease diagnosis, gene editing, and more. The use of fluorescent-based technologies to examine the kinetics of transported substances limits the quantification of the dynamic events occurring in endocytosis. Herein, the development of a tool to monitor the endocytic process in real-time using bioluminescent nanocapsules and quantification models is assessed. In the context of cervical cancer cells undergoing treatment, the platform introduces the potential of novel parameters in the development of optimal delivery vector design and in the development of drug treatments.