Poly (Lactic Co-Glycolic) Acid Nanoparticles: Synthesis Using Millifluidic Chip and Interaction with Red Blood Cells

Nanoparticles (NPs) have recently been developed for application as drug carriers in different fields, including biomedical engineering. This study was focused on the use of a millifluidic chip for synthesis of polymeric poly (lactic co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) NPs and the understanding of PLGA NPs interaction and effect on red blood cells (RBCs). A method for NPs synthesis on a millifluidic chip was developed, exploiting the precise flow control offered by this device. PLGA NPs ranging from 230nm to 350nm in diameter were produced. Smaller NPs of lower polydispersity were synthesized at higher flow rates of the aqueous phase; increase in the ratio of aqueous phase to organic phase also decreased the size of the NPs prepared. The interaction of the PLGA NPs synthesized with the millifluidic chip with RBCs was visualized using a scanning electron microscope and quantified by flow cytometry. The effect of PLGA NPs on RBCs integrity was studied by a hemolysis assay. Results indicated that PLGA NPs adhered to the surface of red blood cells, but had no significant hemolytic effect at concentrations lower than 10mg/ml