In vivo biocompatibility of boron nitride nanotubes: Effects on stem cell biology and tissue regeneration in planarians

AIM: Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) represent an extremely interesting class of nanomaterials, and recent findings have suggested a number of applications in the biomedical field. Anyhow, extensive biocompatibility investigations are mandatory before any further advancement toward preclinical testing. MATERIALS & METHODS: Here, we report on the effects of multiwalled BNNTs in freshwater planarians, one of the best-characterized in vivo models for developmental biology and regeneration research. RESULTS & DISCUSSION: Obtained results indicate that BNNTs are biocompatible in the investigated model, since they do not induce oxidative DNA damage and apoptosis, and do not show adverse effects on planarian stem cell biology and on de novo tissue regeneration. In summary, collected findings represent another important step toward BNNT realistic applications in nanomedicine.