A targeted drug delivery system based on folic acid-functionalized upconversion luminescent nanoparticles

In this paper, multifunctional upconversion luminescent NaYF 4 :Yb,Er nanoparticles with excellent hollow mesoporous structure were first fabricated. The effects of various reaction conditions on the morphology and size of the as-prepared samples were investigated in detail and Ostwald ripening effect was adapted to explain the formation mechanism of the HMUCNPs. Then, folic acid, a well-known ligand for the selective targeting of drugs into...