32 - Nanotechnology's impact on cell transplantation

Abstract

The unique properties of nanomaterials— such as non-quenching fluorescence, controlled charge density, hollow cores for drug delivery, increased tensile strength, and defined nanostructures on material surfaces— are providing the impetus for the development of applications such as cancer therapy, in vitro and invivo diagnostics, gene delivery to cells, nanomachines, localizing cell function, and cell transplantation. For cell transplantation applications, nanotechnology can be used for gene delivery using a nonviral transport mechanism, live cell tracking using fluorescent quantum dots, control of mechanical and cell signaling at the nanometerscale using highly controlled nanostructured materials, and complex 3D cellular structures using cell printing (nanometer to micrometer scale). There are many avenues the field of nanotechnology will play in the field of cell transplantation. This field,although proposed almost 50 years ago, is still in its infancy. There is a great deal of potential. However, there are also potential hazards with this field. The ability of certain nanoparticles to easily transport across barriers such as skin, and easily transport into the cell membrane makes these materials both powerful but also potentially dangerous.