15 research outputs found
Spinal Cord Explants Use Carbon Nanotube Interfaces To Enhance Neurite Outgrowth and To Fortify Synaptic Inputs
New developments in nanotechnology are increasingly designed to modulate relevant interactions between nanomaterials and neurons, with the aim of exploiting the physical properties of synthetic materials to tune desired and specific biological processes. Carbon nanotubes have been applied in several areas of nerve tissue engineering to study cell behavior or to instruct the growth and organization of neural networks. Recent reports show that nanotubes can sustain and promote electrical activity in networks of cultured neurons. However, such results are usually limited to carbon nanotube/neuron hybrids formed on a monolayer of dissociated brain cells. In the present work, we used organotypic spinal slices to model multilayer tissue complexity, and we interfaced such spinal segments to carbon nanotube scaffolds for weeks. By immunofluorescence, scanning and transmission electronic microscopy, and atomic force microscopy, we investigated nerve fiber growth when neuronal processes exit the spinal explant and develop in direct contact to the substrate. By single-cell electrophysiology, we investigated the synaptic activity of visually identified ventral interneurons, within the ventral area of the explant, thus synaptically connected, but located remotely, to the substrate/network interface. Here we show that spinal cord explants interfaced for weeks to purified carbon nanotube scaffolds expand more neuronal fibers, characterized by different mechanical properties and displaying higher growth cones activity. On the other hand, exploring spontaneous and evoked synaptic activity unmasks an increase in synaptic efficacy in neurons located at as far as 5 cell layers from the cell–substrate interactions
Bonding of Neuropeptide Y on Graphene Oxide for Drug Delivery Applications to the Central Nervous System
Nanoscale graphene-based materials (GBMs) enable targeting
subcellular
structures of the nervous system, a feature crucial for the successful
engineering of alternative nanocarriers to deliver drugs and to treat
neurodisorders. Among GBMs, graphene oxide (GO) nanoflakes, showing
good dispersibility in water solution and being rich of functionalizable
oxygen groups, are ideal core structures for carrying biological active
molecules to the brain, such as the neuropeptide Y (NPY). In addition,
when unconjugated, these nanomaterials have been reported to modulate
neuronal function per se. Although some GBM-based
nanocarriers have been tested both in vitro and in vivo, a thorough
characterization of covalent binding impact on the biological properties
of the carried molecule and/or of the nanomaterial is still missing.
Here, a copper(I)-catalyzed alkyne–azide cycloaddition strategy
was employed to synthesize the GO–NPY complex. By investigating
through electrophysiology the impact of these conjugates on the activity
of hippocampal neurons, we show that the covalent modification of
the nanomaterial, while making GO an inert platform for the vectorized
delivery, enhances the duration of NPY pharmacological activity. These
findings support the future use of GO for the development of smart
platforms for nervous system drug delivery
Carbon Nanotube Scaffolds Instruct Human Dendritic Cells: Modulating Immune Responses by Contacts at the Nanoscale
Nanomaterials interact with cells
and modify their function and
biology. Manufacturing this ability can provide tissue-engineering
scaffolds with nanostructures able to influence tissue growth and
performance. Carbon nanotube compatibility with biomolecules motivated
ongoing interest in the development of biosensors and devices including
such materials. More recently, carbon nanotubes have been applied
in several areas of nerve tissue engineering to study cell behavior
or to instruct the growth and organization of neural networks. To
gather further knowledge on the true potential of future constructs,
in particular to assess their immune-modulatory action, we evaluate
carbon nanotubes interactions with human dendritic cells (DCs). DCs
are professional antigen-presenting cells and their behavior can predict
immune responses triggered by adhesion-dependent signaling. Here,
we incorporate DC cultures to carbon nanotubes and we show by phenotype,
microscopy, and transcriptional analysis that in vitro differentiated
and activated DCs show when interfaced to carbon nanotubes a lower
immunogenic profile
Carbon Nanotube Scaffolds Instruct Human Dendritic Cells: Modulating Immune Responses by Contacts at the Nanoscale
Nanomaterials interact with cells
and modify their function and
biology. Manufacturing this ability can provide tissue-engineering
scaffolds with nanostructures able to influence tissue growth and
performance. Carbon nanotube compatibility with biomolecules motivated
ongoing interest in the development of biosensors and devices including
such materials. More recently, carbon nanotubes have been applied
in several areas of nerve tissue engineering to study cell behavior
or to instruct the growth and organization of neural networks. To
gather further knowledge on the true potential of future constructs,
in particular to assess their immune-modulatory action, we evaluate
carbon nanotubes interactions with human dendritic cells (DCs). DCs
are professional antigen-presenting cells and their behavior can predict
immune responses triggered by adhesion-dependent signaling. Here,
we incorporate DC cultures to carbon nanotubes and we show by phenotype,
microscopy, and transcriptional analysis that in vitro differentiated
and activated DCs show when interfaced to carbon nanotubes a lower
immunogenic profile
Carbon Nanotubes Promote Growth and Spontaneous Electrical Activity in Cultured Cardiac Myocytes
Nanoscale manipulations of the extracellular microenvironment
are
increasingly attracting attention in tissue engineering. Here, combining
microscopy, biological, and single-cell electrophysiological methodologies,
we demonstrate that neonatal rat ventricular myocytes cultured on
substrates of multiwall carbon nanotubes interact with carbon nanotubes
by forming tight contacts and show increased viability and proliferation.
Furthermore, we observed changes in the electrophysiological properties
of cardiomyocytes, suggesting that carbon nanotubes are able to promote
cardiomyocyte maturation
Carbon Nanotube Scaffolds Instruct Human Dendritic Cells: Modulating Immune Responses by Contacts at the Nanoscale
Nanomaterials interact with cells
and modify their function and
biology. Manufacturing this ability can provide tissue-engineering
scaffolds with nanostructures able to influence tissue growth and
performance. Carbon nanotube compatibility with biomolecules motivated
ongoing interest in the development of biosensors and devices including
such materials. More recently, carbon nanotubes have been applied
in several areas of nerve tissue engineering to study cell behavior
or to instruct the growth and organization of neural networks. To
gather further knowledge on the true potential of future constructs,
in particular to assess their immune-modulatory action, we evaluate
carbon nanotubes interactions with human dendritic cells (DCs). DCs
are professional antigen-presenting cells and their behavior can predict
immune responses triggered by adhesion-dependent signaling. Here,
we incorporate DC cultures to carbon nanotubes and we show by phenotype,
microscopy, and transcriptional analysis that in vitro differentiated
and activated DCs show when interfaced to carbon nanotubes a lower
immunogenic profile
Carbon Nanotube Scaffolds Instruct Human Dendritic Cells: Modulating Immune Responses by Contacts at the Nanoscale
Nanomaterials interact with cells
and modify their function and
biology. Manufacturing this ability can provide tissue-engineering
scaffolds with nanostructures able to influence tissue growth and
performance. Carbon nanotube compatibility with biomolecules motivated
ongoing interest in the development of biosensors and devices including
such materials. More recently, carbon nanotubes have been applied
in several areas of nerve tissue engineering to study cell behavior
or to instruct the growth and organization of neural networks. To
gather further knowledge on the true potential of future constructs,
in particular to assess their immune-modulatory action, we evaluate
carbon nanotubes interactions with human dendritic cells (DCs). DCs
are professional antigen-presenting cells and their behavior can predict
immune responses triggered by adhesion-dependent signaling. Here,
we incorporate DC cultures to carbon nanotubes and we show by phenotype,
microscopy, and transcriptional analysis that in vitro differentiated
and activated DCs show when interfaced to carbon nanotubes a lower
immunogenic profile
Carbon Nanotube Scaffolds Instruct Human Dendritic Cells: Modulating Immune Responses by Contacts at the Nanoscale
Nanomaterials interact with cells
and modify their function and
biology. Manufacturing this ability can provide tissue-engineering
scaffolds with nanostructures able to influence tissue growth and
performance. Carbon nanotube compatibility with biomolecules motivated
ongoing interest in the development of biosensors and devices including
such materials. More recently, carbon nanotubes have been applied
in several areas of nerve tissue engineering to study cell behavior
or to instruct the growth and organization of neural networks. To
gather further knowledge on the true potential of future constructs,
in particular to assess their immune-modulatory action, we evaluate
carbon nanotubes interactions with human dendritic cells (DCs). DCs
are professional antigen-presenting cells and their behavior can predict
immune responses triggered by adhesion-dependent signaling. Here,
we incorporate DC cultures to carbon nanotubes and we show by phenotype,
microscopy, and transcriptional analysis that in vitro differentiated
and activated DCs show when interfaced to carbon nanotubes a lower
immunogenic profile
Carbon Nanotube Scaffolds Instruct Human Dendritic Cells: Modulating Immune Responses by Contacts at the Nanoscale
Nanomaterials interact with cells
and modify their function and
biology. Manufacturing this ability can provide tissue-engineering
scaffolds with nanostructures able to influence tissue growth and
performance. Carbon nanotube compatibility with biomolecules motivated
ongoing interest in the development of biosensors and devices including
such materials. More recently, carbon nanotubes have been applied
in several areas of nerve tissue engineering to study cell behavior
or to instruct the growth and organization of neural networks. To
gather further knowledge on the true potential of future constructs,
in particular to assess their immune-modulatory action, we evaluate
carbon nanotubes interactions with human dendritic cells (DCs). DCs
are professional antigen-presenting cells and their behavior can predict
immune responses triggered by adhesion-dependent signaling. Here,
we incorporate DC cultures to carbon nanotubes and we show by phenotype,
microscopy, and transcriptional analysis that in vitro differentiated
and activated DCs show when interfaced to carbon nanotubes a lower
immunogenic profile
Carbon Nanotube Scaffolds Instruct Human Dendritic Cells: Modulating Immune Responses by Contacts at the Nanoscale
Nanomaterials interact with cells
and modify their function and
biology. Manufacturing this ability can provide tissue-engineering
scaffolds with nanostructures able to influence tissue growth and
performance. Carbon nanotube compatibility with biomolecules motivated
ongoing interest in the development of biosensors and devices including
such materials. More recently, carbon nanotubes have been applied
in several areas of nerve tissue engineering to study cell behavior
or to instruct the growth and organization of neural networks. To
gather further knowledge on the true potential of future constructs,
in particular to assess their immune-modulatory action, we evaluate
carbon nanotubes interactions with human dendritic cells (DCs). DCs
are professional antigen-presenting cells and their behavior can predict
immune responses triggered by adhesion-dependent signaling. Here,
we incorporate DC cultures to carbon nanotubes and we show by phenotype,
microscopy, and transcriptional analysis that in vitro differentiated
and activated DCs show when interfaced to carbon nanotubes a lower
immunogenic profile