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Shrinking the biologic world--nanobiotechnologies for toxicology
Thomas J Zieziulewicz1, Darryn W Unfricht, Nacima Hadjout
1Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology and Immunology, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York 12201, USA.
Summary
Nanoscale technologies and microelectronics enable new tools for assessing molecular-level toxicologic effects. These advancements in nanobiotechnology are crucial for understanding cellular functions and adverse events.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Toxicology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Toxicologic effects manifest at the molecular level, impacting cellular structures and functions.
- Assessing these nanoscale alterations requires specialized tools for detection, separation, analysis, and manipulation of biological entities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review emerging micro- and nanotechnologies for toxicologic assessment.
- To highlight devices enabling the study of cellular processes at the nanoscale.
Main Methods:
- Review of microfabricated tools including laser tweezers, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), laser capture microdissection (LCM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and multi-photon microscopes.
- Discussion of miniaturized devices like micro total analysis systems (microTAS) and sentinel sensors.
Main Results:
- Several microelectronic-enabled devices facilitate nanoscale assessment of biological and toxicologic processes.
- These technologies allow for detailed analysis of cellular functions like adhesion, signal transduction, and metabolism.
Conclusions:
- Micro- and nanobiotechnologies are advancing biologic, clinical, and toxicologic research.
- Miniaturized, sensitive devices offer new avenues for understanding and assessing toxicity at the cellular and molecular levels.