Nanoscale engineering is revolutionizing the way we prevent, detect, and treat diseases. Viruses have played a special role in these developments because they can function as prefabricated nanoscaffolds that have unique properties and are easily modified. The interiors of virus particles can encapsulate and protect sensitive compounds, while the exteriors can be altered to display large and small molecules in precisely defined arrays. These properties of viruses, along with their innate biocompatibility, have led to their development as actively targeted drug delivery systems that expand on and improve current pharmaceutical options. Viruses are naturally immunogenic, and antigens displayed on their surface have been used to create vaccines against pathogens and to break self-tolerance to initiate an immune response to dysfunctional proteins. Densely and specifically aligned imaging agents on viruses have allowed for high-resolution and noninvasive visualization tools to detect and treat diseases earlier than previously possible. These and future applications of viruses have created an exciting new field within the disciplines of both nanotechnology and medicine.

中文翻译：

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基于病毒的纳米粒子作为多功能纳米机器。

纳米级工程正在彻底改变我们预防，检测和治疗疾病的方式。病毒在这些发展中起着特殊的作用，因为它们可以作为预制的纳米支架发挥作用，这些支架具有独特的特性并且易于修饰。病毒颗粒的内部可以封装和保护敏感化合物，而外部可以更改为以精确定义的阵列显示大分子和小分子。病毒的这些特性以及其固有的生物相容性，导致它们作为主动靶向的药物输送系统得以发展，从而扩展并改善了当前的药物选择。病毒是天然免疫原性的，其表面显示的抗原已被用于制造针对病原体的疫苗并打破自我耐受性，从而引发针对功能障碍蛋白的免疫反应。在病毒上密集且专门对齐的显像剂已使高分辨率和非侵入性的可视化工具能够比以前更早地检测和治疗疾病。病毒的这些和未来应用在纳米技术和医学领域创造了一个令人兴奋的新领域。