Dr. Martin Štefanič has published an article in the journal Biomaterials

Dr. Martin Štefanič from Jožef Stefan Institute, Advanced Materials Department (K9), published in collaboration with researchers from UK, France, Germany and Spain an article “Apatite nanoparticles strongly improve red blood cell cryopreservation by mediating trehalose delivery via enhanced membrane permeation” in the journal Biomaterials. The authors described a novel biocompatible method for cryopreservation of red blood cells in the presence of natural cryoprotectant trehalose. The method is based on the use of bioinspired apatite nanoparticles (NP) as bioactive promoters of trehalose delivery in cells. The study has revealed unique mechanism of interactions between apatite nanoparticles and cell membrane, which resulted in permeability of membrane to trehalose. Besides delivery of cryoprotectants, the newly identified mechanism appears as an original pathway for intracellular delivery of variety of payloads.