Mechanisms underlying cytotoxicity induced by engineered nanomaterials: a review of in vitro studies

Engineered nanomaterials are emerging functional materials with technologically interesting properties and a wide range of promising applications, such as drug delivery devices, medical imaging and diagnostics, and various other industrial products. However, concerns have been expressed about the ri...

ver descrição completa

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Nogueira, Daniele R., Mitjans Arnal, Montserrat, Rolim, Clarice M. B., Vinardell Martínez-Hidalgo, Ma. Pilar
Formato: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2014
País:España
Recursos:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/56243
Acesso em linha:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/56243
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Cultiu cel·lular
Nanotoxicologia
Cell culture
Nanotoxicology
Descrição
Resumo:Engineered nanomaterials are emerging functional materials with technologically interesting properties and a wide range of promising applications, such as drug delivery devices, medical imaging and diagnostics, and various other industrial products. However, concerns have been expressed about the risks of such materials and whether they can cause adverse effects. Studies of the potential hazards of nanomaterials have been widely performed using cell models and a range of in vitro approaches. In the present review, we provide a comprehensive and critical literature overview on current in vitro toxicity test methods that have been applied to determine the mechanisms underlying the cytotoxic effects induced by the nanostructures. The small size, surface charge, hydrophobicity and high adsorption capacity of nanomaterial allow for specific interactions within cell membrane and subcellular organelles, which in turn could lead to cytotoxicity through a range of different mechanisms. Finally, aggregating the given information on the relationships of nanomaterial cytotoxic responses with an understanding of its structure and physicochemical properties may promote the design of biologically safe nanostructures.