Investigation of HAP nanoparticles absorbed by hepatoma cells in vitro

Many particles are found in the cytoplasm area after the mixture of hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanoparticles and cultured cancer cells. The purpose of this study was to confirm whether these particles in cytoplasm are HAP nanoparticles exactly. BEL7402 cells were incubated in HAP sol for 8 hours. Then, the cells were collected for specimen preparation. Transmission electron microscope (TEM), energy dispersing spectrum (EDS) and electronic diffraction (ED) attached to TEM were used to detect the properties of the particles. It is found that many particles similar to HAP in shape are in the cytoplasm under TEM. By EDS analysis, they are the particles containing calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P). The classic rings of HAP crystal appear in the ED pictures of these particles. So the particles are confirmed as HAP nanoparticles. Thus, it is concluded that HAP nanoparticles as the crystal particles can be absorbed by hepatoma cells.