Carbon Nanotubes, Directly Grown on Supporting Surfaces, Improve Neuronal Activity in Hippocampal Neuronal Networks
Adv. Biosys.. 2019-03-25; 3(5): 1800286
DOI: 10.1002/adbi.201800286
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Rago I(1), Rauti R(2), Bevilacqua M(3)(4)(5), Calaresu I(2), Pozzato A(6)(7), Cibinel M(8), Dalmiglio M(9), Tavagnacco C(3), Goldoni A(9), Scaini D(2)(9).
Author information:
(1)Department of Physics, University of Trieste, Piazzale Europa 1, 34127, Trieste, Italy.
(2)Neurobiology Sector, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA/ISAS), Via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy.
(3)Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Giorgieri 1, 34127, Trieste, Italy.
(4)CNR-ICCOM, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
(5)ICCOM-CNR Trieste Research Unit, Via Giorgieri 1, 34127, Trieste, Italy.
(6)ThunderNIL srl, Via Foscolo 8, I-35131, Padova, Italy.
(7)IOM-CNR Area Science Park, Basovizza, S.S. 14, km 163.5, 34149, Trieste, Italy.
(8)Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Via Valerio 6/1, 34127, Trieste, Italy.
(9)Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Area Science Park, S.S. 14, km 163.5, 34149, Trieste, Italy.
Carbon nanotube (CNT)-modified surfaces unequivocally demonstrate their
biocompatibility and ability to boost the electrical activity of neuronal cells
cultured on them. Reasons for this effect are still under debate. However, the
intimate contact at the membrane level between these thready nanostructures and
cells, in combination with their unique electrical properties, seems to play an
important role. The entire existing literature exploiting the effect of CNTs on
modulating cellular behavior deals with cell cultures grown on purified
multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) deposited on a supporting surface via
drop-casting or mechanical entrapment. Here, for the first time, it is
demonstrated that CNTs directly grown on a supporting silicon surface by a
chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-assisted technique have the same effect. It is
shown that primary neuronal cells developed above a carpet of CVD CNTs form a
healthy and functional network. The resulting neuronal network shows increased
electrical activity when compared to a similar network developed on a control
glass surface. The low cost and high versatility of the here presented CVD-based
synthesis process, together with the possibility to create on supporting
substrate patterns of any arbitrary shape of CNTs, open up new opportunities for
brain-machine interfaces or neuroprosthetic devices.
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