Transmembrane Carbon Nanotubes for Intracellular Stimulation

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are hollow cylindrical carbon materials with unique physical, mechanical, and electrical properties. Furthermore, CNTs cut to about 10 nm can spontaneously insert into cell membranes and artificial lipid membranes. Consequently, CNTs are attracting attention for their potential use as protective membranes for sensors, drug delivery systems, nano-dipolar electrodes, and other applications when combined with lipid membranes. CNTs with hydrophobic surfaces can interact with the hydrophobic membrane core to induce membrane deformation. Although changes in membrane morphology are one cause of cytotoxicity, the effects of cut CNTs on membrane morphology are not well understood. In this study, we exposed CNTs to artificial cell membrane vesicles (giant unilamellar vesicles), which are used as a cell model, and evaluated the changes in membrane morphology for each CNT concentration by fluorescence microscopy.