Functional Nanomaterials in Biomedicine: Current Uses and Potential Applications

Abstract

Nanomaterials, that is, materials made up of individual units between 1 and 100 nanometers, have lately involved a lot of attention since they offer a lot of potential in many fields, including pharmacy and biomedicine, owed to their exceptional physicochemical properties arising from their high surface area and nanoscale size. Smart engineering of nanostructures through appropriate surface or bulk functionalization endows them with multifunctional capabilities, opening up new possibilities in the biomedical field such as biosensing, drug delivery, imaging, medical implants, cancer treatment and tissue engineering. This article highlights up-to-date research in nanomaterials functionalization for biomedical applications. A summary of the different types of nanomaterials and the surface functionalization strategies is provided. Besides, the use of nanomaterials in diagnostic imaging, drug/gene delivery, regenerative medicine, cancer treatment and medical implants is reviewed. Finally, conclusions and future perspectives are provided.

Keywords: Biomedical applications; cancer treatment; drug delivery; functional nanomaterials; tissue engineering.

Figure 1

Different surface‐modified NPs with ligand/molecules for active targeting. Adapted with permission from Ref. [24], Copyright 2009, Future Science Group.

Figure 2

Representation of functionalization of AuNPs by polymers through “grafting from” (A), “grafting to” (B), and “post modification” (C) techniques. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [35], Copyright 2010, The Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry.

Figure 3

Representation of the biomedical applications of AuNPs. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [41], Copyright 2017, Elsevier.

Figure 4

Relative viability of B16‐F10 cells incubated with (a) different concentrations of MWCNTs/AuNSs after irradiation by an 808 nm laser (1.0 W cm⁻², 3 min), (b) 0.32 nM MWCNTs/AuNSs for different irradiation times (1.0 W cm⁻²) and (c) 0.32 nM MWCNTs/AuNSs with different power density (3 min). Each value represents the mean±standard error (n=6). *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [48d], Copyright 2018, The Royal Society.

Figure 5

Representation of the antibacterial mechanism of QDs. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [55d], Copyright 2021, Elsevier.

Figure 6

ROS generation after exposure to AuNPs y AuNPs coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG), low molecular weight and high molecular weight polyetherimide (PEI LMW and HMW). a,b,c Bars that do not share same superscripts are significantly different from each other. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [55d], Copyright 2021, Elsevier.

Figure 7

Top: Schematic illustration of PIONs loaded with the plasmid vector pDNA as a nanoplatform for photothermal therapy. Down: Imaging Property of PIONs in vitro and in vivo. (A) PAI and (B) MRI of PIONs at different concentrations. (C) PAI signal of PIONs vs. concentration showing a linear relation. (D) The inverse of the relaxation time (1/T2) of PIONs at different concentrations. (E) PAI and (F) MRI of PIONs in vivo. The data are expressed as mean±standard deviation (SD). The error bar is derived from triplicate measurements. ***p<0.001, **p<0.01, *p<0.05.. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [78], Copyright 2022, Elsevier.

Figure 8

Top: Structure of water‐soluble Fmp−IO−Pc 4. Down: effect of Fmp−IO−Pc 4 on tumor growth under laser treatment. n vitro MRI imaging experiment of Fmp−IO−Pc 4. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [80c], Copyright 2014, American Chemical Society.

Figure 9

Representation of functionalized SWCNTs as drug carriers. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [85], Copyright 2017, Elsevier.

Figure 10

The microstructure and nanostructure of bone and the nanostructured material used in bone regeneration. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [100b], Copyright 2015, Springer Nature.

Figure 11

Internal and external stimuli for triggering therapeutic effects of systemically delivered nanosystems. Reproduced with permission from Ref. [112], Copyright 2018, Elsevier.