title: Carbon nanotube scaffolds tune synaptic strength in cultured neural circuits: novel frontiers in nanomaterial-tissue interactions.
abstract: A long-term goal of tissue engineering is to exploit the ability of supporting materials to govern cell-specific behaviors. Instructive scaffolds code such information by modulating (via their physical and chemical features) the interface between cells and materials at the nanoscale. In modern neuroscience, therapeutic regenerative strategies (i.e., brain repair after damage) aim to guide and enhance the intrinsic capacity of the brain to reorganize by promoting plasticity mechanisms in a controlled fashion. Direct and specific interactions between synthetic materials and biological cell membranes may play a central role in this process. Here, we investigate the role of the material's properties alone, in carbon nanotube scaffolds, in constructing the functional building blocks of neural circuits: the synapses. Using electrophysiological recordings and rat cultured neural networks, we describe the ability of a nanoscaled material to promote the formation of synaptic contacts and to modulate their plasticity.
authors: Life Science Department, B.R.A.I.N., University of Trieste, I-34127 Trieste, Italy.
authors: Giada
authors: G
authors: Cellot
authors: Francesca Maria
authors: FM
authors: Toma
authors: Zeynep Kasap
authors: ZK
authors: Varley
authors: Jummi
authors: J
authors: Laishram
authors: Ambra
authors: A
authors: Villari
authors: Mildred
authors: M
authors: Quintana
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Cipollone
authors: Maurizio
authors: M
authors: Prato
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Ballerini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D049329:Nanostructures; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D051381:Rats; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*; D013818:Thermogravimetry; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid