Sylvie Chevillard

Toxicity issues: interactions with biological species

Having in mind the huge potential of ND for numerous medical applications including, among others, drug delivery, medical imaging, molecular targeting, and implants, it is crucial to study if they present a potential risk for human health. This chapter describes what is currently known regarding the in vitro cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of ND on human differentiated cells and on stem cells, and on the interaction of ND with biomolecules and especially with blood proteins. Although data are still fragmented, a point is also made regarding in vivo animal models, biokinetics, and bioaccumulation of NDs, and their potential hazardous effects on retention compartments/organs. Overall, the absence of obvious acute adverse effects of ND on in vitro and on experimental animals, indeed need further confirmation, but published data indicate that NDs are very promising for new nanotechnologies and methods for medicine.