title: Influence of a nanorod molecular layer on the biological activity of neuronal cells. A semiclassical model for complex solid/liquid interfaces with carbon nanotubes.
abstract: A general account of electric effects is given for a biological phase interacting with a nanorod molecular layer by means of the formed hard-soft and solid-liquid interfaces. In particular, the frequency enhancement previously detected for the spontaneous activity of neuronal cultures interfaced with carbon nanotubes is quantitatively explained upon a quantum/semiclassical description, where the duration of a biological signal is viewed as the (average) lifetime of a decaying state (or population of states), and the effect of the carbon phase as a linewidth broadening. Four contributions were principally accounted for, one biological, for the synaptic strength, one electrochemical, for the overall capacitance increase implied by the nanotube double layers, one geometric, for the typical scales ruling the electron and ion conduction mechanisms, and one electromagnetic-like, translating the membrane polarization changes. These calculations predict an enhancement factor equal on average to ≃6.39, against a former experimental value ≃6.08.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Piazzale Europa 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy. smezzasalma@units.it
authors.forename: Stefano A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Mezzasalma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008954:Models, Biological; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D045663:Quantum Dots; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon