TY - JOUR
T1 - Nanobiodiversity
T2 - The potential of extracellular nanostructures
AU - Orozco, Felipe
AU - Alfaro-González, Brian
AU - Ureña, Yendry Corrales
AU - Villalobos, Karolina
AU - Sanchez, Angie
AU - Bravo, Francisco
AU - Vega, José Roberto
AU - Argüello-Miranda, Orlando
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - As an outcome of millions of years of evolution, biological systems have developed different methods to interact with their surroundings. Many of these adaptations, such as secretions, light-interacting surfaces, biochemical active compounds, and many other survival strategies, are phenomena occurring at the nanometric scale. In this review, we describe how extracellular nanometric structures are responsible for manipulating energy and matter, creating some of the emergent properties of life. Iridescent colors in birds' feathers, the manipulation of wettability of insects' exoskeletons, the adhesive properties of nanopatterned secretions and the ability to polarize light are examples of the potential of extracellular nanostructures. We defined the study of extracellular nanostructures as "nanobiodiversity," a unifying concept that emphasizes the inspiration that life at the nanoscale offers, not only for designing new materials, but also for its understanding.
AB - As an outcome of millions of years of evolution, biological systems have developed different methods to interact with their surroundings. Many of these adaptations, such as secretions, light-interacting surfaces, biochemical active compounds, and many other survival strategies, are phenomena occurring at the nanometric scale. In this review, we describe how extracellular nanometric structures are responsible for manipulating energy and matter, creating some of the emergent properties of life. Iridescent colors in birds' feathers, the manipulation of wettability of insects' exoskeletons, the adhesive properties of nanopatterned secretions and the ability to polarize light are examples of the potential of extracellular nanostructures. We defined the study of extracellular nanostructures as "nanobiodiversity," a unifying concept that emphasizes the inspiration that life at the nanoscale offers, not only for designing new materials, but also for its understanding.
KW - Biodiversity
KW - Biomimetic
KW - Evolutionary biology and bio-nanotechnology
KW - Extracellular structures
KW - Nanobiodiversity
KW - Nanopatterns
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85024379561&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85024379561&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.7569/JRM.2017.634110
DO - 10.7569/JRM.2017.634110
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85024379561
VL - 5
SP - 199
EP - 207
JO - Journal of Renewable Materials
JF - Journal of Renewable Materials
SN - 2164-6325
IS - 3-4
ER -