The Challenge To Relate the Physicochemical Properties of Colloidal Nanoparticles to Their Cytotoxicity

• DOI: 10.1021/ar300039j
• Publication Date: 2012-07-11T11:44:59Z
• Authors: Pilar Rivera-Gil; Dorleta Jimenez D...; Verena Wulf; Beatriz Pelaz; Pablo Del Pino; Yuanyuan Zhao; Jesus M. De La Fu...; Idoia Ruiz De Lar...; Teófilo Rojo; Xing-Jie Liang; Wolfgang J. Parak
• Keywords: Nanomaterials; Nanotoxicology

Nanomaterials offer opportunities to construct novel compounds for many different fields. Applications include devices energy, including solar cells, batteries, and fuel health, contrast agents mediators photodynamic therapy hyperthermia. Despite these promising applications, any new class of materials also bears a potential risk human health the environment. The advantages innovations must be thoroughly compared against risks evaluate each nanomaterial. Although nanomaterials are often used intentionally, they can released unintentionally either inside body, through wearing prosthesis or inhalation fumes, into environment, mechanical wear chemical powder waste. This possibility adds importance understanding from materials.Because fundamental differences in nanomaterials, sound assessment currently requires that researchers perform toxicology studies on However, if toxicity could correlated basic physicochemical properties those relationships allow predict design with minimum toxicity.In this Account we describe nanoparticles (NPs) how determined discuss their general cytotoxicity. For simplicity, focus primarily vitro examines interaction living cells engineered colloidal NPs an inorganic core. Serious will require additional vivo studies. Basic nanoparticulate stability, purity, inertness, size, shape, charge, ability adsorb environmental such as proteins. Unfortunately, correlation is not straightforward. First, it difficult pinpoint materials. Therefore, typically use NP models better defined properties, which don't full complexity most industrially relevant In addition, strongly mutually connected. vary individual while keeping others constant.