Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 14, 2026

Manufacture and Drug Delivery Applications of Silk Nanoparticles
Published on: October 8, 2016
A Step into the Future: Applications of Nanoparticle Enzyme Mimics
Karsten Korschelt1, Muhammad Nawaz Tahir2, Wolfgang Tremel1
1Institut für Anorganische Chemie und Analytische Chemie, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
Abstract:
We describe elementary concepts, up-to-date developments, and perspectives of the emerging field of nanoparticle enzyme mimics (so-called "nanozymes") at the interface of chemistry, biology, materials, and nanotechnology. The design and synthesis of functional enzyme mimics is a long-standing goal of biomimetic chemistry. Metal complexes, polymers and engineered biomolecules capturing the structure of natural enzymes or their active centers have been made to achieve high rates and enhanced selectivities. Still, the design of new "artificial enzymes" that are not related to proteins but with capacity of production and stability at industrial level, remains a goal. Inorganic nanoparticles bear this potential. Although it seems counterintuitive to compare nanoparticles and natural enzymes because they appear very different they share many common features: nano-size, irregular shape, and rich surface chemistry. These features enable nanomaterials to mimic reactions of natural enzymes. Representative examples with biomedical and environmental applications are given.
Related Concept Videos
Enzymes
Enzyme deficiencies can often translate into life-threatening diseases. For example, a genetic abnormality resulting in the deficiency of the enzyme G6PD...
Enzyme Kinetics
Scientists typically study enzyme kinetics with a fixed amount of enzyme in the controlled environment of a test tube. When more reactant, or substrate, is...
Energy-releasing Steps of Glycolysis
The first energy-releasing step—the 6th step of glycolysis...
Enzyme-linked Receptors
Neurotrophin (NT) receptors are a family of RTKs, including trkA, trkB, and trkC (tropomyosin-related kinase) receptors. TrkA is specific for nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-6, and neurotrophin-7. TrkB binds...
Energy-requiring Steps of Glycolysis
Rate-Determining Steps
In a multistep reaction mechanism, one of the elementary steps progresses significantly slower than the others. This slowest step is called the rate-limiting step (or rate-determining step). A reaction cannot proceed faster than its slowest step, and hence, the rate-determining step limits the overall reaction rate.
The concept of rate-determining step can be understood from the analogy of a 4-lane freeway with a short-stretch of traffic-bottleneck caused due to...

