In Vivo Partial Restoration of Neural Activity across Severed Mouse Spinal Cord Bridged with Ultralong Carbon Nanotubes

Organic Functional Group on Carbon Nanotube Modulates the Maturation of SH-SY5Y Neuronal Models

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) have proven to be excellent substrates for neuronal cultures, showing high affinity and greatly boosting their synaptic functionality. Therefore, growing cells on CNT offers an opportunity to perform a large variety of neuropathology studies in vitro. To date, the interactions between neurons and chemical functional groups have not been studied extensively. To this end, multiwalled CNT (f-CNT) is functionalized with various functional groups, including sulfonic (-SO3 H), nitro (-NO2 ), amino (-NH2 ), and oxidized moieties. f-CNTs are spray-coated onto untreated glass substrates and are used as substrates for the incubation of neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y). After 7 d, its effect is evaluated in terms of cell attachment, survival, growth, and spontaneous differentiation. Cell viability assays show quite increased proliferation on various f-CNT substrates (CNTs-NO2 > ox-CNTs ≈ CNTs-SO3 H > CNTs ≈ CNTs-NH2 ). Additionally, SH-SY5Y cells show selectively better differentiation and maturation with -SO3 H substrates, where an increased expression of β-III tubulin is seen. In all cases, intricate cell-CNT networks are observed and the morphology of the cells adopts longer and thinner cellular processes, suggesting that the type of functionalization may have an effect of the length and thickness. Finally, a possible correlation is determined between conductivity of f-CNTs and cell-processes lengths.

Applications of Carbon Nanotubes in the Internet of Things Era

The post-Moore's era has boosted the progress in carbon nanotube-based transistors. Indeed, the 5G communication and cloud computing stimulate the research in applications of carbon nanotubes in electronic devices. In this perspective, we deliver the readers with the latest trends in carbon nanotube research, including high-frequency transistors, biomedical sensors and actuators, brain-machine interfaces, and flexible logic devices and energy storages. Future opportunities are given for calling on scientists and engineers into the emerging topics.