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Published on: November 7, 2016
Neurons sense nanoscale roughness with nanometer sensitivity
V Brunetti1, G Maiorano, L Rizzello
1Italian Institute of Technology, Center for Bio-Molecular Nanotechnology, Via Barsanti, 1-73010 Arnesano, Lecce, Italy.
Summary
Neurons are sensitive to nanoroughness on gold surfaces, impacting cell adhesion, polarity, and survival. Fine-tuning nanotopography allows control over cell behavior for biomaterial design.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Cell-material interactions are crucial for developing advanced nanobiomaterials.
- Understanding cellular responses to nanotopography is key for designing smart biomaterials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate human neuroblastoma cell (SH-SY5Y) responses to gold surfaces with varying nanoroughness.
- To explore the impact of nanoscale surface topography on neuronal cell behavior and survival.
Main Methods:
- Utilized wet chemistry and spontaneous galvanic displacement for precise nanoroughness control.
- Examined cell adhesion, focal adhesion complexes, and cellular morphology.
- Conducted apoptosis/necrosis assays and utilized micropatterned surfaces.
Main Results:
- Neurons exhibit high sensitivity to nanometer-scale surface variations.
- Nanoroughness significantly decreases cell adhesion and affects focal adhesion complexes.
- Cells on nanorough surfaces show loss of polarity, Golgi fragmentation, and disorganized cytoskeleton.
- Nanoscale features induce cell death by necrosis, correlating with roughness.
- Micropatterned surfaces enable tunable cytophilic/cytophobic behavior based on topography.
Conclusions:
- Surface nanotopography directly influences neuronal cell behavior, adhesion, and viability.
- Precise control over nanoroughness offers a method for designing biomaterials with tailored biological responses.
- This approach enables the development of substrates with specific nanostructure-triggered cellular functions.
