Copper-64 specific activity (the number of decays per second per amount of substance) and low yield through the Cu(n,γ)Cu reaction. At the University of Missouri Research Reactor Center (MURR) Cu was produced using high-energy neutrons via the Zn(n,p)Cu reaction in high specific activity but low yield. Using a biomedical cyclotron the Ni(p,n)Cu nuclear reaction can produce large quantities of the nuclide with high specific activity. Wilson’s disease is a rare condition in which copper is retained excessively in the body. Toxic levels of copper can lead to organ failure and premature death. Cu is used to study whole body retention of
Drug delivery to the brain and be effective to enter the brain. This must be done in a very controlled environment because of the risk associated with these drugs. Firstly, the brain can be flooded with molecules that are floating through the blood stream that are usually blocked by the barrier. Secondly, when the tight junctions loosen, the homeostasis of the brain can also be thrown off which can result in seizures and the compromised function of the brain. The most promising drug delivery system is using nanoparticle delivery systems, these are systems where the drug is bound to a nanoparticle capable of traversing the