Although metal nano materials have been widely used in various fields, the potential risks of it still could not be neglected. In this paper, the effects and mechanisms of genotoxicity caused by different nano materials were discussed. Human body can be exposed to metal nano materials through multiple pathways, metals nano follow the blood stream in circulatory system and distribute to organs. Metal nano particles are mainly uptaken into cells by endocytosis, and direct or indirect damages to genes can be induced by these particles after metabolism in cells. These damages would affect the course of cell cycle and the stability of the genome, resulting in gene mutation or chromosome aberration, and even leading to the death or malignant transformation of cells.
Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; chemically induced ; DNA Damage ; Humans ; Metal Nanoparticles ; toxicity