Nanotechnology enters into the realm of basic biological units by its ability to functional integrate with bio-systems. In recent years we reached an increased interest and improved understanding of such interactions with biological systems at a sub-cellular level. This latter feature can be understood and engineered with a high degree of specificity. One of the more attractive materials employed to develop nano-bio hybrid systems is represented by carbon nanotubes (CNT). CNT, due to their unique range of thermal, electronic and structural properties, have been rapidly developing as a technology platform for biological and medical applications, including those designed to develop novel neuro-implantable devices. CNT have been applied with the aim of probing or augmenting cell behaviour, of tracking subcellular components, or addressing the growth and organization of neural networks. Recently, we reported, for the first time, that the growth of cultured neuronal circuits on a conductive CNT meshwork was always accompanied by a significant enhancement in the efficacy of neural signal transmission. Is this network enhancement ultimately linked to the nanoscale physical interactions between CNT and neurons? Here we show, by patch clamping single neurons and by electron microscopy analysis, that CNT-substrate direct interactions with neuronal membranes affect single cell activity potentiating calcium electro-genesis due to action potential (AP) back propagation and measured via the presence of a somatic depolarization in response to repetitive APs. Our results highlight a potentially hitherto unrecognized CNT-mediated mechanism that exploits the targeting of neuronal integrative properties.

Acknowledgments: 

EU NEURONANO-NMP4-CT-2006-031847.