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Updated: Jul 11, 2025

Registered Bioimaging of Nanomaterials for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Monitoring
Published on: December 9, 2010
Biochemical transformations of inorganic nanomedicines in buffers, cell cultures and organisms
Anna L Neuer1,2, Inge K Herrmann1,2, Alexander Gogos1,2
1Laboratory for Particles-Biology Interactions, Department of Materials Meet Life, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland. alexander.gogos@empa.ch.
Abstract:
The field of nanomedicine is rapidly evolving, with new materials and formulations being reported almost daily. In this respect, inorganic and inorganic-organic composite nanomaterials have gained significant attention. However, the use of new materials in clinical trials and their final approval as drugs has been hampered by several challenges, one of which is the complex and difficult to control nanomaterial chemistry that takes place within the body. Several reviews have summarized investigations on inorganic nanomaterial stability in model body fluids, cell cultures, and organisms, focusing on their degradation as well as the influence of corona formation. However, in addition to these aspects, various chemical reactions of nanomaterials, including phase transformation and/or the formation of new/secondary nanomaterials, have been reported. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of biochemical transformations of medically relevant inorganic (composite) nanomaterials in environments related to their applications. We provide a refined terminology for the primary reaction mechanisms involved to bridge the gaps between different disciplines involved in this research. Furthermore, we highlight suitable analytical techniques that can be harnessed to explore the described reactions. Finally, we highlight opportunities to utilize them for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes and discuss current challenges and research priorities.
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