Nanostructured Biosilica of Diatoms: From Water World to Biomedical Applications
Diatoms—unicellular photosynthetic algae—are promising natural sources of nanostructured silica. These microorganisms produce in their membrane approximately a highly ordered porous cell wall called a frustule as protection from environmental stress. Diatom frustules consist of hydrated silica that...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/19/6811 |
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| author | Chiara Tramontano Giovanna Chianese Monica Terracciano Luca de Stefano Ilaria Rea |
| author_facet | Chiara Tramontano Giovanna Chianese Monica Terracciano Luca de Stefano Ilaria Rea |
| author_sort | Chiara Tramontano |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Diatoms—unicellular photosynthetic algae—are promising natural sources of nanostructured silica. These microorganisms produce in their membrane approximately a highly ordered porous cell wall called a frustule as protection from environmental stress. Diatom frustules consist of hydrated silica that show peculiar properties including biocompatibility, tailorable surface chemistry, chemical inertness, and thermal stability. Frustules harvested from aquatic ecosystems or diatomaceous fossil sediments represent an excellent cost-effective source of biosilica for a broad range of biomedical applications. The porous ultrastructure of the frustules displays a large surface area available for coating with various biomolecules through different functionalization methods. In this review article, we highlight the main features of diatom biosilica and present some of the most advantageous properties that support the employment of frustules in the field of drug delivery, biosensing, and regenerative medicine. In particular, it is offered an insight into the most common functionalization strategies through which diatom physicochemical properties can be modified and tailored according to the described field of application. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:58:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-71c9771254154937affbf16ff0d96e5c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:58:50Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-71c9771254154937affbf16ff0d96e5c2023-11-20T15:25:14ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172020-09-011019681110.3390/app10196811Nanostructured Biosilica of Diatoms: From Water World to Biomedical ApplicationsChiara Tramontano0Giovanna Chianese1Monica Terracciano2Luca de Stefano3Ilaria Rea4Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via Domenico Montesano, 49, 80131 Napoli, ItalyNational Research Council, Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems, Unit of Naples, 80131 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, via Domenico Montesano, 49, 80131 Napoli, ItalyNational Research Council, Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems, Unit of Naples, 80131 Naples, ItalyNational Research Council, Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems, Unit of Naples, 80131 Naples, ItalyDiatoms—unicellular photosynthetic algae—are promising natural sources of nanostructured silica. These microorganisms produce in their membrane approximately a highly ordered porous cell wall called a frustule as protection from environmental stress. Diatom frustules consist of hydrated silica that show peculiar properties including biocompatibility, tailorable surface chemistry, chemical inertness, and thermal stability. Frustules harvested from aquatic ecosystems or diatomaceous fossil sediments represent an excellent cost-effective source of biosilica for a broad range of biomedical applications. The porous ultrastructure of the frustules displays a large surface area available for coating with various biomolecules through different functionalization methods. In this review article, we highlight the main features of diatom biosilica and present some of the most advantageous properties that support the employment of frustules in the field of drug delivery, biosensing, and regenerative medicine. In particular, it is offered an insight into the most common functionalization strategies through which diatom physicochemical properties can be modified and tailored according to the described field of application.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/19/6811diatomnanomedicinedrug deliverySERScell proliferation |
| spellingShingle | Chiara Tramontano Giovanna Chianese Monica Terracciano Luca de Stefano Ilaria Rea Nanostructured Biosilica of Diatoms: From Water World to Biomedical Applications Applied Sciences diatom nanomedicine drug delivery SERS cell proliferation |
| title | Nanostructured Biosilica of Diatoms: From Water World to Biomedical Applications |
| title_full | Nanostructured Biosilica of Diatoms: From Water World to Biomedical Applications |
| title_fullStr | Nanostructured Biosilica of Diatoms: From Water World to Biomedical Applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nanostructured Biosilica of Diatoms: From Water World to Biomedical Applications |
| title_short | Nanostructured Biosilica of Diatoms: From Water World to Biomedical Applications |
| title_sort | nanostructured biosilica of diatoms from water world to biomedical applications |
| topic | diatom nanomedicine drug delivery SERS cell proliferation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/19/6811 |
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