title: Understanding cellular internalization pathways of silicon nanowires.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Understanding how cells interact with nanomaterials is important for rational design of nanomaterials for nanomedicine and transforming them for clinical applications. Particularly, the mechanism for one-dimensional (1D) nanomaterials with high aspect ratios still remains unclear.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this work, we present amine-functionalized silicon nanowires (SiNW-NH2) entering CHO-β cells via a physical membrane wrapping mechanism. By utilizing optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and confocal fluorescence microscopy, we successfully visualized the key steps of internalization of SiNW-NH2into cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results provide insight into the interaction between 1D nanomaterials and confirm that these materials can be used for understanding membrane mechanics through physical stress exerted on the membrane.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McNear
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
authors.forename: Yimin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA. yang@purdue.edu.|Department of Physics and Astronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA. yang@purdue.edu.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000586:Amination; D000818:Animals; D016466:CHO Cells; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003412:Cricetulus; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D053770:Nanowires / Q000032:analysis*; D012825:Silicon / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012825:Silicon
keywords: Cellular interaction; Membrane wrapping; Silicon nanowires