Applications of Nanowire Arrays in Nanomedicine

In recent years, the potential of nanowires for applications within nanomedicine, including drug delivery and diagnostics, have been explored by several groups. The small diameter of nanowires allows them to cross the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane without causing significant damage, which makes them attractive as a tool for gaining access to the intracellular environment. Recent studies report on an approach using vertically aligned nanowires fixed to a surface instead of nanowires in solution. Nanowire arrays hold promise of simpler maneuvering and additional applications within drug delivery, biosensing, and electrophysiology in living cells, all of which are explored in this paper