Usage of nanotechnology in Bioengineering
Nanoparticles are the particles that exist on a nanometer scale in diameter, normally the particles between 1-100 nanometer. 1 nanometer is equal to 10-9 meter. Nanoparticles exist in natural world and are also created as a result of human activities. The physical and chemical properties of these small particles are very different from those of the larger ones in the same material. The study of these unique properties is called as the “Nanotechnology”.
Firstly, Physicist Riched Feyman has been demonstrated that the ability to generate nanotechnology in a lecture entitled “There is plenty of room at the bottom.” He has predicted that nanoscale materials that made up from depositing atoms once at a time, has very different properties from the properties of that substance. He was hailed as the father of the “Nanotechnology”. Then, Norio Taniguchi, a Japanese scientist firstly defined the term “Nanotechnology” as; nanotechnology mainly consist of the processing of separation, consolidation and deformation of materials by one atom or one molecule. Researches has shown that, by reducing the size of various technological materials and devices to a few nanometers, they can be produce more lighter, more robustly and more efficiently. Scientists have been able to build molecular machines using the ability of molecular epitaxy -MBE machines to deposit various materials from atom to atom and produce nano-sized membranes.
Nanotechnology can be utilized in many stages of bioengineering. Nanostructured materials for biological sensing, nano particles based drug delivery, nano biomechanics and imaging, transport and toxicity properties of semiconductor nano crystals are some biomedical applications in nanotechnology
Nanostructured materials for biological sensing : Nanobiosensors can be considered as a nanostructural material for biological sensing. A nano biosensor is a biosensor that works on the nano-scale size as a measurement system for the detection of an analyte that combines a biological component with a physicochemical detector. Nanobiosensors with magnetic nanoparticles might serve as a tool for telomerase activity screening in living experiment. Nano robot sensor can diagnose and monitor diabetes by producing a form of proteomic-based output. A Microfluidic nanobiosensors have designed to identify and also isolate peripheral blood tumor cells.
Nano-biotechnology in crop improvement : Since the drastic decrease in natural resources, the production level of food grains has been showing a downward trend. The agriculture can be developed only by increasing productivity through modern technology as the land and water resources are limited. Nano-biotechnology increase agricultural productivity through genetic improvement of plants, delivery of genes and drug molecules to specific sites at cellular levels. Now nanotechnology is linked up with techniques and sensors for precision in agriculture, early detection of pathogens and contaminants in food products and smart delivery systems for agrochemicals like pesticides and fertilizers. Researches are ongoing to achieve the goals of “Nano agriculture” by the ability of nanoparticles to penetrate plant cell walls.
Nanoparticle based drug delivery: Nanoparticle based drug delivery has specific advantages compared to conventianal drugs, such as improved stability and biocompatibility and precise targeting. This systems have been shown in overcoming cancer-related drug resistance. Furthermore, as more tumor drug resistance mechanisms revealed, nanoparticles are increasingly being developed to target these mechanisms.
Nano imaging : Nanotechnology is being applied to innovate methods of medical imaging. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a technique which exploits the magnetic properties of atomic nuclei to form medical images through Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) . When atomic nuclei in a magnetic field, it absorb and emit electromagnetic radiation, with the resonance frequency of a substance being directly proportional to the strength of the magnetic field. MRI is used to obtain images of organs in the body. More detailed images can be produced by aligning the atomic nuclei in a nanostructure. It supplies a large magnetic field that is 10,000 times bigger than the earth’s magnetic field.
Nanotechnology is also used in nano-invasive diagnostic imaging of medical conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. A magnetic resonance imaging signal is produced which can be utilized for diagnostic imaging of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.
However, these nanoparticles has the ability of sticking to surface depending on surface characteristics and nanoparticles may cross cell membranes. Some nanoparticles dissolve easily and some are not. So they may accumulate in biological systems and persist for a long time, which makes such nanoparticles of particular concern. Not only that, inhaled particulate matter can be deposited throughout respiratory track. These can potentially move from the lungs to other organs such as the brain, the spleen, the liver. Materials which by themselves are not very harmful could be toxic if they are inhaled in the form of nanoparticles. These can effect to lung inflammation and heart problems.
The use of nanotechnology in bioengineering has the potential to improve human health by providing them quality medical products and nutritious food. They are also used in the pharmaceutical industrial and medical devices. Careful uses of nanomaterials produce various products for human if so, there is significant proof of potential risks of nanomaterials.
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