TY - JOUR
T1 - Carbon nanotubes might improve neuronal performance by favouring electrical shortcuts
AU - Cellot, Giada
AU - Cilia, Emanuele
AU - Cipollone, Sara
AU - Rancic, Vladimir
AU - Sucapane, Antonella
AU - Giordani, Silvia
AU - Gambazzi, Luca
AU - Markram, Henry
AU - Grandolfo, Micaela
AU - Scaini, Denis
AU - Gelain, Fabrizio
AU - Casalis, Loredana
AU - Prato, Maurizio
AU - Giugliano, Michele
AU - Ballerini, Laura
PY - 2009/2
Y1 - 2009/2
N2 - Carbon nanotubes have been applied in several areas of nerve tissue engineering to probe and augment cell behaviour, to label and track subcellular components, and to study the growth and organization of neural networks. Recent reports show that nanotubes can sustain and promote neuronal electrical activity in networks of cultured cells, but the ways in which they affect cellular function are still poorly understood. Here, we show, using single-cell electrophysiology techniques, electron microscopy analysis and theoretical modelling, that nanotubes improve the responsiveness of neurons by forming tight contacts with the cell membranes that might favour electrical shortcuts between the proximal and distal compartments of the neuron. We propose the 'electrotonic hypothesis' to explain the physical interactions between the cell and nanotube, and the mechanisms of how carbon nanotubes might affect the collective electrical activity of cultured neuronal networks. These considerations offer a perspective that would allow us to predict or engineer interactions between neurons and carbon nanotubes.
AB - Carbon nanotubes have been applied in several areas of nerve tissue engineering to probe and augment cell behaviour, to label and track subcellular components, and to study the growth and organization of neural networks. Recent reports show that nanotubes can sustain and promote neuronal electrical activity in networks of cultured cells, but the ways in which they affect cellular function are still poorly understood. Here, we show, using single-cell electrophysiology techniques, electron microscopy analysis and theoretical modelling, that nanotubes improve the responsiveness of neurons by forming tight contacts with the cell membranes that might favour electrical shortcuts between the proximal and distal compartments of the neuron. We propose the 'electrotonic hypothesis' to explain the physical interactions between the cell and nanotube, and the mechanisms of how carbon nanotubes might affect the collective electrical activity of cultured neuronal networks. These considerations offer a perspective that would allow us to predict or engineer interactions between neurons and carbon nanotubes.
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U2 - 10.1038/nnano.2008.374
DO - 10.1038/nnano.2008.374
M3 - Article
C2 - 19197316
AN - SCOPUS:59849104708
VL - 4
SP - 126
EP - 133
JO - Nature Nanotechnology
JF - Nature Nanotechnology
SN - 1748-3387
IS - 2
ER -