Topics in Current Chemistry (2020) 378:15
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Abbreviations
AFM
Atomic force microscopy
AGP
Angiopep-2
BBB
Blood–brain barrier
BLI
Bioluminescence imaging
BRB
Berberine
CA(s)
Contrast agent(s)
CNT(s)
Carbon nanotube(s)
DMF
Dimethylformamide
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid
DOX
Doxorubicin
EM
Electron microscopy
FTIR
Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy
Gd
Gadolinium
GNTs
Gado-nanotubes
HA
Hyaluronic acid
MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging
MWCNT(s) Multi-walled carbon nanotube(s)
NGF
Nerve growth factor
NIR
Near-infrared radiation
NP(s)
Nanoparticle(s)
PEG
Polyethylene glycol
PET
Positron emission tomography
PLK1
Polo-like kinase 1
PTT
Photothermal therapy
RNA
Ribonucleic acid
SC
Stem cells
SDBS
Sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate
SEM
Scanning electron microscopy
siRNA
Small interfering ribonucleic acid
SPECT
Single-photon emission computed tomography
STM
Scanning tunneling microscopy
SWCNT(s) Single-walled carbon nanotube(s)
TEM
Transmission electron microscopy
XPS
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
1 Introduction
Nanotechnology is the understanding, design, and development of new materials
with interesting characteristics at the nanometric scale where the effects of quantum
mechanics are noticeable. These nanomaterials have at least one dimension between
1 and 100  nm, and adapt the shape of nanoparticles, nanotubes, or nanosurfaces.
On the other side, nanobiotechnology refers to the intersection of nanotechnology
and biology, combining the efficacy of biological materials and the rules and tools
of basic sciences like physics and chemistry. It is also defined as the science that
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