HALLOYSITE-BASED NANOSYSTEMS FOR BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS

• Published in: Clays and clay minerals Vol. 69; no. 5; pp. 501 - 521
• Main Authors: Persano, Francesca, Gigli, Giuseppe, Leporatti, Stefano
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.10.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aluminium; Aluminum; Aluminum silicates; Biocompatibility; Biogeosciences; Biomedical materials; Clay minerals; Composite materials; Controlled release; Drug delivery; Drugs; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Genes; Geochemistry; Medical imaging; Medicinal Chemistry; Mineralogy; Nanomaterials; Nanoscale Science and Technology; Nanotechnology; Nanotubes; Review; Silicate minerals; Silicates; Soil Science & Conservation; Stem cells; Tissue engineering; Drug delivery; Biomedicine; Halloysite Nanotube Composites; Gene Delivery; Nanotubes; Tissue Engineering
• ISSN: 0009-8604; 1552-8367
• DOI: 10.1007/s42860-021-00135-8

Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are hollow clay nanotubes in the nanometer size range, made up of double-layered aluminum silicate mineral layers. HNTs represent an extremely versatile, safe, and biocompatible nanomaterial, used in a wide range of applications in biomedicine and nanomedicine. For example, they are used as transporters for the controlled release of drugs or genes, in tissue engineering, in the isolation of stem cells and cancer cells, and in bioimaging. Consequently, the assessment of the biocompatibility of HNTs has acquired considerable importance. In recent years, HNT composites have attracted attention due to their improved biocompatibility, compared to HNTs, suggesting potential for applications in tissue engineering or as vehicles for drugs or genes. In this review, recent advances in the application of HNTs and HNT composites in biomedicine are discussed to provide a valuable guide to scientists in the design and development of viable, functional bio-devices for biomedical applications.