Figure 20. NLP associated with fetuin-A or albumin are morphologically similar.

NLP were produced as described in Fig. 19, with 3 mM each of CaCl₂, Na₂CO₃, and NaH₂PO₄ incubated with either 10 µM of BSF (A–C), 50 µM of HSA (D–F), or a combination of 10 µM of BSF and 50 µM of HSA (G–I). Incubation was done for 3 days (A, B, D, E, G, and H) or 1 week (C, E, and I) at room temperature. The initially clear solutions increased in turbidity with time, and by 3 days showed noticeable precipitation, which were then pelleted by centrifugation and washed with HEPES buffer once, followed by another wash with water, prior to SEM analysis. (B, E, and H) represent enlarged views of (A, D, and G), respectively. By one week of incubation, the round particles had coalesced to form films. Round particles or films seen with the 3 types of treatments appear virtually identical. Scale bars: 100 nm (B,D,F); 500 nm (A,C,E).