Bioactive nanoparticle compositions and methods for making same

A method for making a nanoparticle composition, comprising:

• providing an inverse emulsion comprising a hydrophobic continuous phase, a hydrophilic phase, an emulsifier, and a base component dispersed in the hydrophilic phase, wherein the base component comprises polymers from a non-animal source that mimic a macromolecule of an animal extracellular matrix and has an internal crosslinker component covalently bonded thereto through a first covalent linkage type, the molecules of the internal crosslinker component having a reactive group for forming a second covalent linkage type;
• forming nanoparticles from the inverse emulsion by reacting the reactive group of the internal crosslinker, thereby crosslinking the polymers of the base component and forming the second covalent linkage type;
• and
• the nanoparticles including an external binding component covalently bonded to the base component.