Inorganic Self‐assembly: Going Bio

Inorganic self-assembly in living systems is still in an early stage and has much to offer in terms of biomedical applications. In this article, the concept of inorganic self-assembly into living environments is presented, together with the most representative advances, the current opportunities and challenges.

Abstract

The use of self-assembly for building complex functional structures is a current topic of interest in supramolecular chemistry. In this context, the use of biomolecule-based building blocks has paved the way for the development of intracellular assemblies. Currently, the potential functionality of such assemblies in biomedical applications is being disclosed. On the other hand, the use of inorganic (metal-based) building blocks is still in its infancy. The construction of inorganic self-assemblies in-bio is particularly challenging and demands great efforts to reach applications. However, the plethora of thinkable advantages related to the use of inorganic self-assembly in living cells must fuel new discoveries in this area. This Concept reviews the current advances, perspectives, and challenges in inorganic self-assembly in living systems.

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