Isolation of cell membranes for use in membrane models studies of nanotoxicology

Abstract

Despite the rapid progress and acceptance of nanotechnology for application in various areas of science, there are major concerns as to the actual toxicological interaction between biological systems and nanomaterials. This toxicological information should be considered along with the benefits that science brings to society. In order to promote the safe development of nanotechnology, especially applied to medicine, it is essential to assess the adverse effects of nanomaterials on health, which requires a systematic investigation. Due to the complexity of the mechanisms involved in the interactions between nanomaterials and biological systems, biophysical aspects are difficult to be investigated, especially in natural samples and in real-time. The plasma membrane is essential for cells to existence and their function. The interaction of nanomaterials and biological membranes is a complex process due to the heterogeneity difficult to understand the details of both the nanomaterial and the cell membrane. This project, together with the proposed post-doctoral link, aims to evaluate the toxicity of nanomaterials through a methodology developed by our group, using cell membranes models. The possible interactions between cell membranes and nanomaterials will be investigated by the Langmuir technique, using membranes models extracted from cell lines, as a new approach in the literature. The greatest challenge of this undergraduate research project will develop a new protocol for extraction of cell membrane without significantly changing its structure, and without changing the properties of surface activity of membrane components. Such studies may help in understanding the toxicity of nanomaterials at the molecular scale and bring important benefits to the development of nanomedicine.(AU)