University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Plant Sciences Publications and Other Works Plant Sciences 10-24-2012 Nanoparticle biofabrication using English ivy (Hedera helix) Jason N. Burris University of Tennessee - Knoxville,
[email protected] Scott C. Lenaghan University of Tennessee - Knoxville,
[email protected] Mingjun Zhang University of Tennessee - Knoxville,
[email protected] C. N. Stewart University of Tennessee - Knoxville,
[email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_planpubs Part of the Plant Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Journal of Nanobiotechnology 2012, 10:41 doi:10.1186/1477-3155-10-41 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Plant Sciences at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Plant Sciences Publications and Other Works by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Burris et al. Journal of Nanobiotechnology 2012, 10:41 http://www.jnanobiotechnology.com/content/10/1/41 SHORT COMMUNICATION Open Access Nanoparticle biofabrication using English ivy (Hedera helix) Jason N Burris1, Scott C Lenaghan2, Mingjun Zhang2 and C Neal Stewart1* Abstract Background: English ivy (Hedera helix) is well known for its adhesive properties and climbing ability. Essential to its ability to adhere to vertical surfaces is the secretion of a nanocomposite adhesive containing spherical nanoparticles, 60–85 nm in diameter, produced exclusively by root hairs present on adventitious roots. These organic nanoparticles have shown promise in biomedical and cosmetic applications, and represent a safer alternative to metal oxide nanoparticles currently available.