Amyloid fibrils: From disease to design. New biomaterial applications for self-assembling cross-beta fibrils

Amyloid fibrils are self-assembling protein aggregates. They are essentially insoluble and resilient nanofibres that offer great potential as materials for nanotechnology and bionanotechnology. Fibrils are associated with several debilitating diseases, for example Alzheimer's disease, but recent advances suggest they also have positive functions in nature and can be formed in vitro from generic proteins. This article explores how the unique nanotopography and advantageous properties of fibrils may be used to develop tools for probing cell behaviour, protein-based biomimetic materials for supporting cells, or platforms for biosensors and enzyme immobilization.