The Membrane Interactions of Nano-Silica and Its Potential Application in Animal Nutrition
1
Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Sciences, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Krakowska Street 1, 32–083 Balice, Poland
2
Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Ethology, University of Agriculture, Mickiewicza Street 24/28, 30–059 Kraków, Poland
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Animals 2019, 9(12), 1041; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9121041
Submission received: 4 November 2019
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Revised: 19 November 2019
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Accepted: 23 November 2019
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Published: 28 November 2019
(This article belongs to the Section Animal Nutrition)
Simple Summary
Silicon dioxide nanostructures, due to good biocompatibility, low toxicity and high synthetic availability, are promising materials for various biological and industrial applications. Interest in using silicon dioxide nanostructures arises not only from their special interactions with cell membranes, but also from an ease in manipulating their particle size, shape and porosity, allowing one to make a material with the desired physicochemical properties. Despite that, there is still little known about the possible use of silicon dioxide and other nanostructures in animal nutrition. The aim of the present paper was to describe the properties of silica nanostructures, demonstrating potential applications and achievable benefits of using nanostructures as a feed additive. Based on the literature, it seems that diet supplementation with nanoparticles leads to improved performance and immunity in animals, which might be, at least partially, related to changes in the composition of gut microbiota. These unique features make nanoparticles interesting candidates as feed additives used in animal nutrition.
Abstract
Nanoparticles are increasingly popular in numerous fields including electronics, optics and medicine (vaccines, tissue engineering, microsurgery, genomics and cancer therapies). The most widely used nanoparticles in biomedical applications are those designed by man. Scientists have obtained many types of silica nanoparticles with defined shape and chemical composition, but different properties and applications. Nanoparticles include particles with at least one dimension ranging from 1–100 nm. Silica nanoparticles (Sn), reaching values from several dozen to several hundred m2/g, have unique physicochemical properties due to their porous structure and well-developed specific surface. Currently, the use of Sn in animal nutrition, with a focus on gastrointestinal tract function, is of great interest.
Keywords:
silica; nanoparticles; cell membranes; animal nutrition
