Amino-functionalized carbon nanotubes act as a carrier for nerve growth factor

April 21st, 2014

Under inverted fluorescence microscope, the multi-walled carbon nanotubes-ethylenediamine-nerve growth factor complexes significantly induce PC12 cell differentiation, and the growing protuberances are long, dense, and woven into meshes (× 200). Credit: Neural Regeneration Research

In recent years, there are growing studies concerning the use of different carrier materials for sustained-release and controlled-release of nerve growth factor in neuroscience research.

In a study by Prof. Gao Li and team from Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China, amino-functionalized ethylenediamine-treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes were used to prepare carbon nanotubes-nerve growth factor complexes by non-covalent grafting. Results showed that amino functionalization improved carbon nanotubes-nerve growth factor complex dispersibility, reduced their toxicity to PC12 cells, and promoted PC12 cell differentiation and chick embryo dorsal root ganglion.

This study has been reported in the Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 9, No. 3, 2014).

Provided by Neural Regeneration Research