peep of nanotechnology in reproductive medicine: a mini-review

ABSTRACT

Nanotechnology has opened a new field in medicine as well as in other sciences. The aim of this study was to seek the capability of nanotechnology for the treatment of various reproductive diseases. In this study, we analyzed all articles about "nanotechnology and reproductive medicine" published in 2000-2015, indexed in Google Scholar, PubMed and Science Direct. This study indicated that nanotechnology has been extensively used for different reproductive applications, e.g. disease detection, drug delivery, diagnostic imaging, etc. particularly in cancer diagnosis and treatment. The available evidences regarding the use of nanomaterials as experimental tools for the detection and treatment of reproductive diseases are summarized here. Nanoparticles have potential and promising applications in reproductive biology. Treatment and imaging of reproductive system-related cancers can be performed by engineered nanoparticles. Also, some non-cancerous diseases can be treated by nanotechnology, e.g. endometriosis. The benefits and concerns associated with their use in a highly delicate system of reproductive tissues and gametes have been investigated. Nano-based methods are innovative and potentially controversial approaches in the clinical settings, and give us the opportunity for better understanding of mechanisms underlying reproductive diseases