title: Piezoelectric Nanoparticle-Assisted Wireless Neuronal Stimulation.
abstract: Tetragonal barium titanate nanoparticles (BTNPs) have been exploited as nanotransducers owing to their piezoelectric properties, in order to provide indirect electrical stimulation to SH-SY5Y neuron-like cells. Following application of ultrasounds to cells treated with BTNPs, fluorescence imaging of ion dynamics revealed that the synergic stimulation is able to elicit a significant cellular response in terms of calcium and sodium fluxes; moreover, tests with appropriate blockers demonstrated that voltage-gated membrane channels are activated. The hypothesis of piezoelectric stimulation of neuron-like cells was supported by lack of cellular response in the presence of cubic nonpiezoelectric BTNPs, and further corroborated by a simple electroelastic model of a BTNP subjected to ultrasounds, according to which the generated voltage is compatible with the values required for the activation of voltage-sensitive channels.
authors.affiliation: †Center for Micro-BioRobotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025 Pontedera (Pisa), Italy.|‡The Biorobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025 Pontedera (Pisa), Italy.
authors.forename: Attilio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.affiliation: §WASEDA Bioscience Research Institute in Singapore (WABIOS), Biopolis Way 11, #05-02 Helios, 138667 Singapore.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.affiliation: §WASEDA Bioscience Research Institute in Singapore (WABIOS), Biopolis Way 11, #05-02 Helios, 138667 Singapore.
authors.forename: Yanyan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: †Center for Micro-BioRobotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025 Pontedera (Pisa), Italy.
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sinibaldi
authors.affiliation: ⊥Dipartimento di Ricerca Traslazionale e delle Nuove Tecnologie in Medicina e Chirurgia, University of Pisa, Via Savi 10, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pellegrino
authors.affiliation: ∥Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, MedChem Program of Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, 117543 Singapore.|#Laboratory of Bioimaging Probe Development, Singapore Bioimaging Consortium, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Biopolis, 138667 Singapore.
authors.forename: Young-Tae
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: †Center for Micro-BioRobotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025 Pontedera (Pisa), Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mazzolai
authors.affiliation: †Center for Micro-BioRobotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025 Pontedera (Pisa), Italy.
authors.forename: Virgilio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mattoli
authors.affiliation: §WASEDA Bioscience Research Institute in Singapore (WABIOS), Biopolis Way 11, #05-02 Helios, 138667 Singapore.|∇Organization for University Research Initiatives, Waseda University, #304, Block 120-4, 513 Waseda-Tsurumaki-Cho, Shinjuku-Ku, 162-0041 Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Madoka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: †Center for Micro-BioRobotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025 Pontedera (Pisa), Italy.
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciofani
mesh_terms: D017609:Barium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D019220:High-Energy Shock Waves; D006801:Humans; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D017609:Barium Compounds; C024547:barium titanate(IV); D014025:Titanium
keywords: SH-SY5Y cells; barium titanate nanoparticles; calcium imaging; piezoelectricity; ultrasounds