Magnetic nanoparticles biosynthesized by bacteria
might soon play an important role in biomedicine and biotechnology.
Researchers of the University of Bayreuth have now developed and
optimized a process for the isolation and purification of these
particles from bacterial cells. In initial tests, magnetosomes
showed good biocompatibility when incubated with human cell lines.
The results, presented in the journal Acta Biomaterialia, are
therefore a promising step toward the biomedical use of
magnetosomes in diagnostic imaging techniques or as carrier in
magnetic drug delivery applications.