title: Water soluble single-walled carbon nanotubes inhibit stimulated endocytosis in neurons.
abstract: We report the use of chemically functionalized water soluble single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) graft copolymers to inhibit endocytosis. The graft copolymers were prepared by the functionalization of SWNTs with polyethylene glycol. When added to the culturing medium, these functionalized water soluble SWNTs were able to increase the length of various neuronal processes, neurites, as previously reported. Here we have determined that SWNTs are able to block stimulated membrane endocytosis in neurons, which could then explain the previously noted extended neurite length.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, Center for Glial Biology in Medicine, Atomic Force Microscopy and Nanotechnology Laboratories, Civitan International Research Center, Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Erik B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Malarkey
authors.forename: Reno C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Haddon
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Parpura