Silaffins of diatoms: from applied biotechnology to biomedicine.
Silaffins are involved in the formation of the cell walls of diatoms. It is known that silaffins can precipitate silica in vitro, forming nano- and micro-particles in the shape of spheres and plates containing many pores. It is important to note that the deposition of silica and the particle morphology in the presence of silaffins affects chemical and physical agents (e.g., peptides, polyamines, phosphate, nitrogen, and the mechanical changes of the reaction mixture). It is believed that silaffins act as an organic matrix for silica-genesis and that silica pore size should reflect the pattern of a matrix. Here, biotechnology related to silaffins is discussed in the context of "a hypothesis of silaffin matrix" and "the LCPA-phosphate model". We discuss the most promising area of silaffin biotechnology--the development of production methods for silicon structures with desired shapes and nanostructural properties that can be used to create biocompatible materials.
Analytical Center of Mineralogical and Geochemical Studies, Institute of Geology and Nature Management Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 1 Relochny Lane, Blagoveshchensk 675000, Russian Federation.
Igor E
IE
Pamirsky
Kirill S
KS
Golokhvast
D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods; D017377:Diatoms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D010455:Peptides; D012822:Silicon Dioxide