Table 1 Classification, characteristics, and clinical application of common nanoregulators in the biomedical field
Materials | Representative | Characteristics | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
Organic | • Polylactidecoglycolide (PLGA) • Polylactic acid (PLA) • Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) • Chitosan • Liposomes • Nanoemulsions | • Possesses good biocompatibility and biodegradability • Simple physicochemical properties, making surface modification easier • Offers high encapsulation efficiency and prolonged circulation time in the body • Demonstrates relatively low toxicity or non-toxic properties • Suitable for various drug delivery routes, although thermodynamically unstable when exceeding 500 nm in size | • Drug carriers for controlled and sustained release • Construction of artificial tissues and organs • Gene therapy • Nanorobot • Delivery of vaccines and anticancer agents |
Inorganic | • Metal • Metal oxide | • Unique electrical, optical, and magnetic properties • Inertness, stability, and ease of functionalization • Unique surface characteristics (such as small pore size, large variation of surface charge and density, a large ratio of surface area to volume, diverse shape, and structure) • Toxicity and poor biocompatibility • Metal oxides have high reactivity | • Biosensor and diagnostic imaging (e.g. MRI) • Magnetic transfection • Hyperthermia • Antibacterial and antiviral therapy • Targeted therapies • Cell isolation • Vaccine development • Optimization of drug and gene delivery • Regenerative medicine • Stem cell growth and differentiation • Nucleic acid amplification |
Ceramics nanoregulators | • Titanium oxide (TiO2) • Hydroxyapatite (HA) • Alumina (Al2O3) Silica (SiO2) | • Non-metallic solid with photocatalysis, photodegradation, imaging, and cytotoxicity | • Photodynamic therapy • Drug activity can automatically release drugs |
Carbon-based nanoregulators | • Quantum dots • Fullerenes • Carbon nanotubes • Graphene-and-its derivatives | • Extremely large surface area, chemical purity and free electrons, Photoluminescence properties, Excellent biocompatibility, and photobleaching durability | • Drug delivery • Biomolecule sensing • Cancer treatment • Imaging • Targeted drug delivery |