title: Chitin and carbon nanotube composites as biocompatible scaffolds for neuron growth.
abstract: The design of biocompatible implants for neuron repair/regeneration ideally requires high cell adhesion as well as good electrical conductivity. Here, we have shown that plasma-treated chitin carbon nanotube composite scaffolds show very good neuron adhesion as well as support of synaptic function of neurons. The addition of carbon nanotubes to a chitin biopolymer improved the electrical conductivity and the assisted oxygen plasma treatment introduced more oxygen species onto the chitin nanotube scaffold surface. Neuron viability experiments showed excellent neuron attachment onto plasma-treated chitin nanotube composite scaffolds. The support of synaptic function was evident on chitin/nanotube composites, as confirmed by PSD-95 staining. The biocompatible and electrically-conducting chitin nanotube composite scaffold prepared in this study can be used for in vitro tissue engineering of neurons and, potentially, as an implantable electrode for stimulation and repair of neurons.
authors.affiliation: School of Clinical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS2 8DZ, UK.
authors.forename: Nandita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FS, UK.
authors.forename: Jinhu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FS, UK.
authors.forename: Krzysztof K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Koziol
authors.affiliation: Interface Analysis Centre, School of Physics, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TL, UK.
authors.forename: Keith R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Hallam
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FS, UK.
authors.forename: Dawid
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Janas
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK.
authors.forename: Avinash J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanoscience and Quantum Information, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1FD, UK.
authors.forename: Ally
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Strachan
authors.affiliation: School of Biochemistry and Centre for Synaptic Plasticity, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: G Hanley
authors.affiliation: Advanced Composites Centre for Innovation and Science, Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TR, UK. sameer.rahatekar@bristol.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Sameer S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Rahatekar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002686:Chitin; D000076122:Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008422:Materials Testing; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013499:Surface Properties; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D000076122:Disks Large Homolog 4 Protein; C501449:Dlg4 protein, rat; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D002686:Chitin