Novel glycodendrimers self-assemble to nanoparticles which function as polyvalent ligands in vitro and in vivo

Size is important: Noncovalent nanoparticles are formed by the self-assembly of glycodendrimers containing both a ligand and a self-assembling moiety. Particle size reaches an optimum at the second and third generation, larger dendritic species show less efficient self-assembly. It is the nanoparticles, not the individual molecules, that governs their potency as polyvalent receptor blockers (see scheme), both in vitro and in vivo.