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Table 1 A summary of melanin-like nanomaterials synthesized for biomedical applications

From: Recent advances in melanin-like nanomaterials in biomedical applications: a mini review

Biomedical applications

Template

Size

Functional additives

Ref

Therapy

ROS scavenger

pDA NP

80 nm

–

[24]

160 nm

w/ and w/o Cu2+

[25]

Photodynamic therapy

pDA/PEG coating on CaCO3

40 nm

Photosensitizer: chlorin e6

[26]

Photothermal therapy

pDA NP

160 nm

–

[27]

PEGylated pDA NP

78 nm

Anticancer drug: doxorubicin, 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin

[28]

Drug delivery system

pDA NP

75–400 nm

Anticancer drug: camptothecin

[29]

PEGylated pDA NP

28 nm

Ligand: triphenylphosphonium Anticancer drug: doxorubicin

[30]

Polyethylenimine-decorated pDA NP

60–80 nm

Therapeutics: plasmid DNA

[31]

Poly (methacrylic acid) -coated pDA capsule

300 nm

Anticancer drug: doxorubicin

[32]

pDA coating on insulin NP

50, 71, 84 nm (coating)

–

[33]

pDA/PEG coating on mesoporous silica NP

193.08 nm

Ligand: folic acidAnticancer drug: doxorubicin

[34]

Bioimaging and theranostics

Photoacoustic Imaging

Ethylenediamine/PEG-coated pDA NP

130 nm

–

[35]

pDA-coated AuNP

150 nm

–

[36]

PDA-coated Fe3O4 NP

15 nm

64Cu

[37]

Melanin NP

42.5 ± 2.1 nm

Targeting moiety: poly-L-lysine

[38]

Magnetic resonance imaging

pDA NP

51, 119, 188 nm

Cu (II)

[39]

PEGylated pDA NP

70–300 nm

Mn (II)

[40]

25–43 nm

Fe (III)

[41]

PEGylated Melanin NP

13 nm

Gd (III), Cu (II)

[42]

Biosensing

Fluorescent pDA

pDA with ethylenediamine NP

Tens of nm

–

[43]

pDA NP reduced by NaBH4

34.83 nm

–

[44]

Fluorescence quencher

Mesoporous pDA NP

70 nm

Fluorescein amidites (FAM)-labeled DNA probe

[45]

pDA-coated upconversion NP

5 nm (coating)

Cy3-aptamer

[46]