Abstract
The kidneys are vital organs performing several essential functions. Their primary function is the filtration of blood and the removal of metabolic waste products as well as fluid homeostasis. Renal filtration is the main pathway for drug removal, highlighting the importance of this organ to the growing field of nanomedicine. The kidneys (i) have a key role in the transport and clearance of nanoparticles (NPs), (ii) are exposed to potential NPs’ toxicity, and (iii) are the targets of diseases that nanomedicine can study, detect, and treat. In this review, we aim to summarize the latest research on kidney-nanoparticle interaction. We first give a brief overview of the kidney’s anatomy and renal filtration, describe how nanoparticle characteristics influence their renal clearance, and the approaches taken to image and treat the kidney, including drug delivery and tissue engineering. Finally, we discuss the future and some of the challenges faced by nanomedicine.
Highlights
Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine, and Nanotechnology refers to the use, or application, of engineered macromolecules in the size range of 1–100 nanometers [1]
We briefly describe the kidney’s role in the elimination of nanomaterials, and we summarize the recent advances in the imaging and treatment of kidney dysfunctions using nanotechnology
From the lumen of the capillary to the inside of the Bowman’s capsule, the glomerulus contains four structures that act as filters: the glycocalyx, the endothelium, the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), and the podocytes
Summary
Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine, and Nanotechnology refers to the use, or application, of engineered macromolecules in the size range of 1–100 nanometers [1]. Materials involved range from polymers, metals, macromolecules, lipids, semiconductors, and chemicals [2,3] Due to their small size, nanomaterials, which contain more than 50% nanoparticles (NP), can exhibit novel physical (mechanical, optical, electrical, magnetic, and thermal) [4,5,6] properties that can add substantial value in a wide array of applications, including medicine [7], generating the portmanteau nanomedicine. Kidney-excretable nanoparticles with a vastly improved signal to background ratio have been produced. It enables more precise imaging, detection, and diagnosis of renal injury, while at the same time significantly reducing nephrotoxicity by lowering the amounts of diagnostic compounds necessary. We briefly describe the kidney’s role in the elimination of nanomaterials, and we summarize the recent advances in the imaging and treatment of kidney dysfunctions using nanotechnology
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