Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) System for Quantification and Analysis of Biologically Relevant Nanosized Particles

纳米颗粒的分析和利用是一个新兴的重要研究领域。纳米颗粒的直径在纳米范围内，不到千分之一毫米。这些颗粒非常小，由于受到光波长的限制，使用普通仪器或显微镜都看不到它们。在生物科学研究中，纳米颗粒包括病毒和病毒样颗粒，低密度脂蛋白或高密度脂蛋白等脂蛋白复合体，神经元突触体，以及新发现的被称为细胞外小泡(EVS)的纳米颗粒。EVS是包括癌细胞、免疫细胞和细菌在内的许多细胞相互交流的一种新方式。纪念大学研究生物纳米颗粒重要性的研究人员能够准确和精确地量化和表征这些独特的生物对象是至关重要的。纳米颗粒跟踪分析(NTA)利用纳米颗粒通过其布朗运动产生的光散射来克服光波长对生物纳米颗粒进行可视化、大小和量化的检测限制。荧光检测技术的最新进展也使研究人员能够将NTA与蛋白质或脂类的特定检测相结合，以确定EV、病毒或脂蛋白的亚群。NTA是唯一能够准确、快速地可视化、确定纳米颗粒混合种群大小和数量的技术，而唯一具有荧光检测能力的NTA仪器是马尔文仪器公司的NanoSight NS300。*NanoSight NS300将直接支持来自理学院生物化学、生物和海洋科学系以及医学院生物医学科学系的10名申请者的研究计划。此外，至少还有其他四个研究小组对这项NTA技术有重大需求。这些小组开展的工作涵盖了从病毒学到免疫学、从神经生物学到水产养殖到营养学等生命科学研究。NS300的申请者和其他用户将分析和量化EV，包括外体、微泡和突触体，以及脂滴、病毒颗粒、实验脂蛋白制剂和线粒体。因此，收购NS300将直接使纪念大学的多个不同研究项目受益，使它们能够在全球舞台上竞争，为生活中一些最基本的问题提供新的令人兴奋的答案。**

Analysis and use of nanoparticles is an emerging and important area of research. Nanoparticles have diameters in the nanometer range, which is less than 1/1000th of a millimeter. These particles are so small that they cannot be seen using typical instruments or microscopes because of the limits of detection imposed by the wavelength of light. In biological sciences research, nanoparticles include viruses and viral-like particles, lipid-protein complexes like LDL or HDL, neuronal synaptosomes, as well a newly discovered nanoparticles called extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs are a new way that many cells, including cancer cells, immune cells, and bacteria, use to communicate with each other. It is critical that researchers at Memorial University who study the importance of biological nanoparticles can accurately and precisely quantify and characterize these unique biological objects.******Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) uses the light-scattering of nanoparticles by their Brownian motion to overcome the limits of detection imposed by the wavelengths of light to visualize, size, and quantify biological nanoparticles. Recent advances in fluorescence detection technology also allows researchers to combine NTA with specific detection of proteins or lipids to define sub-populations of EVs, viruses, or lipoproteins. The only technique that is able to accurately and rapidly visualize, size, and quantify mixed populations of nanoparticles is NTA, and the only NTA instrument with fluorescence detection capabilities is the NanoSight NS300 from Malvern Instruments.******The NanoSight NS300 will directly support the research programs of the 10 applicants from the Departments of Biochemistry, Biology, and Ocean Sciences in the Faculty of Science as well as from the Division of BioMedical Sciences in the Faculty of Medicine. In addition, at least four other research groups have a significant need for this NTA technology. The work performed by these groups spans life sciences research from virology to immunology, from neurobiology to aquaculture to nutrition, and more. The applicants and other users of the NS300 will analyze and quantify EVs including exosomes, microvesicles and synaptosomes, as well as lipid droplets, virus particles, experimental lipoprotein preparations, and mitochondria. Thus, acquisition of the NS300 will directly benefit multiple and diverse research programs across Memorial University allowing them to compete on a global stage to provide new and exciting answers to some of life's most fundamental questions.**