Advances in the bioapplications of ionic pillararenes

The biological arena provides a wide range of challenges requiring cutting-edge developments, from the exploration of complex mechanisms within organisms, to the interactions between organisms and the environment, as well as the detection and analysis of bioactive substances, early disease diagnosis and precision treatment, and the research, development, and application of biomaterials. Solving these problems is of great significance for improving public health standards and promoting the innovation of medical technologies. Supramolecular chemistry, as an emerging interdisciplinary discipline, provides unique perspectives and research methods for overcoming these challenges. Ionic pillararenes (IPAs), as an emerging supramolecular tool, possess unique advantages due to their ionic properties. This enables them to show great potential in solving problems in the biological field, such as deciphering the mechanisms of transmembrane transport, precisely recognizing and sensing biomolecules, and achieving efficient disease diagnosis and treatment. This review article summarizes the application progress of IPAs in the biological field, providing a theoretical basis for the further development of novel biological application technologies and the design of more efficient biological solutions. This review also delves deeply into the challenges and opportunities faced by IPAs for biological applications. As well as offering comprehensive and in-depth insights into IPAs, that we hope will encourage researchers in related fields to conduct innovative and practical research using IPAs.