Abstract Engineered nano-bio cellular interfaces bring together well-defined nanoscale material morphologies with organic living systems. These extraordinarily complex interfaces are set to produce radical advances in the life sciences, through fundamental research in the emerging multidisciplinary field of cellular nano-biotechnology. We examine the role of a particular class of nanostructured platform: vertically aligned nanowire (VA-NW) arrays. These arrays feature diverse nanoscale topographies that enable unprecedented manipulation of cell functions and processes in vivo, in situ and in vitro. While the platform still requires further optimisation, recent use of the arrays – for in vivo transfection, non-destructive intracellular sampling and to gain fundamental insights into cellular responses to extracellular topographic cues – effectively demonstrates the platforms’ potential. We review innovative applications that show the repertoire of VA-NW arrays as highly efficient, universal, scalable intracellular delivery and sampling platforms, which presage prospects for clinical translation. We analyse the mechanisms by which VA-NW arrays facilitate delivery of bioactive cargos, and discuss the state of current knowledge about effects of nanowire topography on the cell-nanowire interface.

中文翻译：

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用于细胞内递送和采样的工程纳米生物界面：应用、代理和人工制品

摘要 工程纳米生物细胞界面将明确定义的纳米级材料形态与有机生命系统结合在一起。这些极其复杂的界面将通过细胞纳米生物技术新兴多学科领域的基础研究，在生命科学领域产生根本性的进步。我们研究了一类特定纳米结构平台的作用：垂直排列的纳米线 (VA-NW) 阵列。这些阵列具有不同的纳米级形貌，可以在体内、原位和体外对细胞功能和过程进行前所未有的操作。虽然该平台仍需要进一步优化，但最近使用的阵列——用于体内转染，非破坏性细胞内采样，并获得对细胞外地形线索的细胞反应的基本见解——有效地展示了平台的潜力。我们回顾了创新应用，这些应用展示了 VA-NW 阵列作为高效、通用、可扩展的细胞内递送和采样平台，预示着临床转化的前景。我们分析了 VA-NW 阵列促进生物活性货物输送的机制，并讨论了有关纳米线形貌对细胞-纳米线界面影响的当前知识状态。