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Nanoparticle
technology has been put to a staggering variety of uses. The
ever-accelerating technology, however, is generating an important cause for
concern, namely that some nanoparticles, such as those already used in the
manufacture of electronic equipment, luminescent paints etc., could become
environmental hazards. Only relatively recently, however, nanoparticles have
begun to catch the interest of life scientists. They are expected to have an
impact in basic research and in the development of new technologies for
medical diagnosis and drug delivery. To date, nanoparticles such as
luminescent quantum dots, iron nanoparticles and block copolymer micelles
have been studied as nano-containers for controlled and/or sustained drug
delivery or as imaging tools for cells and whole organisms. Our objective has
been to determine the impact of nanoparticles on cell function, with a focus
on those particles which contain metals, fluorescent labels and selected
drugs. A brief overview of the currently available data on the potential
hazards and usefulness of selected classes of nanoparticles will be provided,
with some comments on possible strategies for optimizing the latter.
Induction of cell death by nanoparticles will be discussed in the context of
physico-chemical properties of selected nanoparticles, cell status and the
cellular environment.
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As the
exploitation of nanoparticles accelerates we are beginning to understand some
of their possible hazards as well as their enormous potential for economic
growth, improved quality of life, and medical diagnosis. However,
nanoparticle research driven by rational applications must also address the
management and elimination of hazardous particles in order to protect our
health and our environment. A word of caution must be noted particularly
because of the seductive quality of some intellectually very attractive
nanoparticles. Nanoparticles with different morphologies made of
non-biodegradable materials provided invaluable information on their
self-assembly and physicochemical properties, but were rarely tested in
vivo. Unfortunately these nanoparticles can constitute threats to living
cells, animals or humans. Working as multidisciplinary teams [1] we
will be better poised to select appropriate materials, modify nanoparticle
surfaces, identify optimal routes of administration, and understand the
pharmacodynamics which will allow a safe use of nanoparticles [2].
Currently, metal-containing nanoparticles, including quantum dots, are still
largely an attractive chemical, pharmacological and medical toolbox but not a
clinical solution for diagnosis or therapy.
Recent reviews
have provided instructive examples of nanotechnology application in basic
neurosciences and its use in addressing interesting biological questions [1-13].
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Figure 1. Summary of different
classes of nanoparticles and their characteristics
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3. Nanoparticles
3.1
Nanoparticles
containing metals
Nanoparticles
made of metals e.g. quantum dots, QDs or metallic particles linked with
polymers endows them with unique optical properties. This section reviews
some of their specific photo-physical and optical characteristics which are
exploited for long-term and multicolor imaging |