Nanotechnology is the controlled use of tiny, molecule-sized particles. In medicine these have massive potential.

In this study these tiny particles were used to cause a rat to regrow blood vessels to supply a damaged leg in just 7 days.

Now, it’s not very nice to think of a rat being purposefully harmed to enable such a demonstration; but, nevertheless, if I or a relative had severe blood deficiency to an area I’d be pleased this research had been done.

I am thinking here of the poor leg circulation which afflicts diabetics: or even the effects on the brain of a stroke, through reducing circulation, or the consequence of a non-fatal heart attack.

An interesting quote from James Lewis, a PhD with experience in the nanotechnology area is illuminating. He says:

“Mammalian cells are very complex mechanisms, and several decades of experience with biotechnology have demonstrated that newly discovered molecules expected to do great things often underperform expectations because changing a cell requires several molecules working together. Nanoparticles have the potential to be complex enough to accomplish what single molecules cannot.”

There is no doubt that nanotechnology will perform a more and more important role in healthcare in coming decades. Cures which are unthinkable now will be commonplace – thanks to our cutting-edge skills in harnessing these tiny particles.

Article at the website of the Foresight Institute, nanotechnology experts:

http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=5060

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Nanotechnology Regrows Blood Vessels in Just Seven Days is a post from: Living To 150

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A great step forward (if you can have one of those in nanotechnology) has been made in molecular machinery. A cog has been made out of atoms, and rotated clockwise and anti-clockwise.

This was created by fixing a ‘stick’ like molecule onto the sides of a benzene ring, resulting in a 6-spoked cog. This was then rotated around the molecular fold occurring on a piece of gold.

This is a huge step forward, and an essential step, for molecular machines.

Now the method has been proved, more complex machines will be developed, enabling energy to be converted into work at the molecular level very efficiently.

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Nanotech Rotor Created is a post from: Living To 150

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