Enhanced effect of dimension of receptor-ligand complex and depletion effect on receptor-mediated endocytosis of nanoparticles**Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11047022, 11204045, and 11464004), the Tracking Key Program of Social Development of Guizhou Province, China (Grant Nos. SY20123089 and SZ20113069), the General Financial Grant from the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2014M562341), the

Abstract

We present an extended analytical model including the depletion effect and the dimension of ligand-receptor complex, aiming to elucidate their influences on endocytosis of spherocylindrical nanoparticles (NPs). It is found that the dimension of ligand-receptor complex (δ) and the depletion effect interrelatedly govern the optimal conditions of NP endocytosis. The endocytosis phase diagram constructed in the space of NP radius and relative aspect ratio indicates that the endocytosis of NP is enhanced evidently by reducing the optimal radius and the threshold radius of endocytosed NP. Meanwhile, through thermodynamic and kinetic analysis of the diffusion of receptors, the dependence of diffusion length on depletion effect and the dimension of ligand-receptor complex can be identified in great detail. For small aspect ratio, diffusion length decreases with increasing concentration c of small bioparticles in cellular environment. Endocytosis speed corresponding to large radius R and high concentration c of small bioparticles strongly depends on the increasing . These results may show some highlights into the conscious design of NPs for diagnostic agents and therapeutic drug delivery applications.