The emerging role of nanotechnology in cell and organ transplantation

Transplantation is often the only choice many patients have when suffering from end stage organ failure. Although the quality of life improves after transplantation, challenges such as organ shortages, necessary immunosuppression with associated complications and chronic graft rejection limits its wide clinical application. Nanotechnology has emerged in the past two decades as a field with the potential to satisfy clinical needs in the area of targeted and sustained drug delivery, non-invasive imaging, and tissue engineering. In this paper, we provide an overview of popular nanotechnologies and a summary of the current and potential uses of nanotechnology in cell and organ transplantation.