Fig. 6

Surface functionalization affects uptake of MSNs. The uptake of the nanoparticles from the aquaeous medium into the embryo was analyzed by mounting anesthesized living embryos into agarose and imaged using confocal microscopy (Leica SP5 Matrix). A transgenic strain (kdrl:EGFP) expressing a GFP labeled vasculature were used. 24hpf embryos were incubated for 48 h with the highest tolerated dose of the different nanoparticles e.g 100 μg/ml NH2-, SUCC- and PEG-MSNs, and 10 μg/ml of PEI-MSNs. DMSO treated embryos were used as controls and show background fluorescence (A). Ortohogonal views of the 3D confocal data sets are shown to visualize fluorescence deep inside the embryo. Panels are pseudocolored for clearer visualization of nanoparticle fluorescence in the brain. Calibration bar in panel 6A indicates relation between colour and intensity values. White arrows mark nanoparticle clusters inside the embryo brains. Scale bar is 100 µm.