Recent Advances in Cryo-TEM Imaging of Soft Lipid Nanoparticles

Abstract

Cryo-transmission electron microscopy (Cryo-TEM), and its technological variations thereof, have become a powerful tool for detailed morphological characterization and 3D tomography of soft lipid and polymeric nanoparticles as well as biological materials such as viruses and DNA without chemical fixation. Here, we review and discuss recent advances in Cryo-TEM analysis of lipid-based drug nanocarriers with particular emphasis on morphological and internal nanostructure characterization of lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoparticles such as cubosomes and hexosomes