Ferritin-Based Nanocarriers: Analytical Methods for Physicochemical Characterization
- 1Scientific Center for Translational Medicine, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sirius, Russia
Abstract
Unique physicochemical properties of ferritin nanoparticles, such as high biocompatibility, precise structural assembly, and modular surface chemistry make them a promising biomimetic platform for the delivery of therapeutic and diagnostic agents, including radioactive isotopes. However, the translation of ferritin from laboratory-scale synthesis to clinical applications remains hindered by the lack of standardized analytical workflows and requires precise qualitative and quantitative analysis of core loading, structural integrity, and long-term stability. This review systematically examines current characterization techniques ranging from morphological evaluation and quantitative elemental analysis to advanced spectroscopic and functional performance assays for evaluating metal and non-metal encapsulation efficiency, release kinetics, stability in complex biological media, and functional performance of ferritin-based nanocarriers. We highlight the correlation between the analytical metrics and biomedical outcomes, addressing the critical challenges in standardization necessary for clinical translation. The discussed methodologies establish a methodological roadmap for the rational design and quality control of ferritin-based theranostic systems, facilitating their path toward clinical implementation.
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BibTeX
@article{subcheva2026ferritinbased,
title = {{Ferritin-Based Nanocarriers: Analytical Methods for Physicochemical Characterization}},
author = {Elena N. Subcheva and Alexandra A. Martynova and Darya S. Volkova and Andrey V. Zvyagin and Alessandro Parodi and Alexey V. Ermakov},
journal = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/ijms27209383},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/20/9383},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Ferritin-Based Nanocarriers: Analytical Methods for Physicochemical Characterization
AU - Elena N. Subcheva
AU - Alexandra A. Martynova
AU - Darya S. Volkova
AU - Andrey V. Zvyagin
AU - Alessandro Parodi
AU - Alexey V. Ermakov
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/21
JO - International Journal of Molecular Sciences
DO - 10.3390/ijms27209383
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/20/9383
AB - Unique physicochemical properties of ferritin nanoparticles, such as high biocompatibility, precise structural assembly, and modular surface chemistry make them a promising biomimetic platform for the delivery of therapeutic and diagnostic agents, including radioactive isotopes. However, the translation of ferritin from laboratory-scale synthesis to clinical applications remains hindered by the lack of standardized analytical workflows and requires precise qualitative and quantitative analysis of core loading, structural integrity, and long-term stability. This review systematically examines current characterization techniques ranging from morphological evaluation and quantitative elemental analysis to advanced spectroscopic and functional performance assays for evaluating metal and non-metal encapsulation efficiency, release kinetics, stability in complex biological media, and functional performance of ferritin-based nanocarriers. We highlight the correlation between the analytical metrics and biomedical outcomes, addressing the critical challenges in standardization necessary for clinical translation. The discussed methodologies establish a methodological roadmap for the rational design and quality control of ferritin-based theranostic systems, facilitating their path toward clinical implementation.
SN - 1422-0067
ER -