Membrane-Nanoparticle Interactions: The Impact of Membrane Lipids.

The growing field of nanotechnology presents opportunity for applications across many sectors. Nanostructures, such as nanoparticles, hold distinct properties based on their size, shape, and chemical modifications that allow them to be utilized in both highly specific as well as broad capacities. As the classification of nanoparticles becomes more well-defined and the list of applications grows, it is imperative that their toxicity be investigated.

Differential interactions of essential and toxic metal ions with biologically relevant phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylserine membranes.

Metal pollutants are a growing concern due to increased use in mining and other industrial processes. Moreover, the use of metals in daily life is becoming increasingly prevalent. Metals such as manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), and nickel (Ni) are toxic in high amounts whereas lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) are acutely toxic at low µM concentrations.