We provide a mini review of recent theoretical investigations of nanostructure formation aided by self-organised Bi nanolines on the Si(001) surface. It is suggested that hydrogen-passivated single-domain Si(001) produced by the formation of defect-free, hundreds of nm long, and 1.2-1.5 nm wide Bi nanolines provides an appealing template with preferential sites for adsorption of other elements. Based on ab initio pseudopotential calculations it is suggested that using the Bi nanoline template it should be possible to grow the following structures: mixed Ge-Si dimer structures on the Si(001) terrace between two neighbouring Bi nanolines; small In nanoclusters along the nanoline; and line and cluster structures of Fe atoms with novel electronic and magnetic properties. (C) 2008 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.