title: Carbon Nanotubes in Biomedical Applications: Factors, Mechanisms, and Remedies of Toxicity.
abstract: Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) represent one of the most studied allotropes of carbon. The unique physicochemical properties of CNTs make them among prime candidates for numerous applications in biomedical fields including drug delivery, gene therapy, biosensors, and tissue engineering applications. However, toxicity of CNTs has been a major concern for their use in biomedical applications. In this review, we present an overview of carbon nanotubes in biomedical applications; we particularly focus on various factors and mechanisms affecting their toxicity. We have discussed various parameters including the size, length, agglomeration, and impurities of CNTs that may cause oxidative stress, which is often the main mechanism of CNTs' toxicity. Other toxic pathways are also examined, and possible ways to overcome these challenges have been discussed.
authors.affiliation: Center of Nanotechnology, King Abdulaziz University , Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Reem
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alshehri
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Genomic Medical Research, King Abdulaziz University , Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Asad Muhammad
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ilyas
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University , Doha 2713, Qatar.|Biomedical Engineering and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, American University of Beirut , Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon.|Biomaterials Innovation Research Center, Division of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston Massachusetts 02115, United States.
authors.forename: Anwarul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hasan
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University , Doha 2713, Qatar.
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arnaout
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Genomic Medical Research, King Abdulaziz University , Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Farid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Center of Nanotechnology, King Abdulaziz University , Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Memic
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D044968:Regenerative Medicine / Q000379:methods; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon