| Recent findings have suggested that iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have some exceptional chemical characteristics which make them useful in both experimental physiology and cell biology research. These nanoparticles might be applied as drug delivery systems for anti-cancer and other medications. Also, IONPs might be a valuable part of many novel bioassays in various fundamental medical fields. In recent years, several studies have indicated that IONPs may have certain cytotoxic and genotoxic potential in living systems. During in vitro conditions, IONPs might induce generation of reactive oxygen species and cause oxidative stress in some cell populations. The toxicity of IONPs is not yet fully understood, and additional research is needed to confirm if IONPs have detrimental effects on human health. This short article focuses on the recent developments and trends in the fields of nanomedicine and nanobiology regarding iron oxide nanomaterials and their application in fundamental medical disciplines such as experimental physiology. We discuss our previously published works on structural effects of IONPs and other metallic nanoparticles on cell nucleus in in vitro conditions. We also describe our recent findings regarding the impact of IONPs on certain biophysical properties of subcellular components. |
full paper (pdf, 100 Kb)