New insights into the mechanisms of cellular interactions and toxicity of nanomaterials

Whenever nanomaterials come into contact with cells and tissues, the risk of material-specific cytotoxic reaction is increased. With the widespread use of nanoparticles in industrial, but also biomedical applications, the increasing exposure to nanomaterials raises safety concerns. In-depth understanding the mechanisms of nanomaterial interactions with cells and of their cytotoxic effects is therefore important both for minimizing the risk of potential adverse effects on human health in case of involuntary exposure and for enhancing cell-killing ability of nanosystems developed as tumoritoxic tools. This Journal Watch article highlights recent reports focusing on mechanisms of cellular interactions and toxicity of nanomaterials.