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Updated: May 30, 2026
Fabrication of Magnetic Platforms for Micron-Scale Organization of Interconnected Neurons
Published on: July 14, 2021
The effects of functional magnetic nanotubes with incorporated nerve growth factor in neuronal differentiation of
Jining Xie1, Linfeng Chen, Vijay K Varadan
1Nanomaterials and Nanotubes Research Laboratory, College of Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA.
Abstract:
In this in vitro study the efficiency of magnetic nanotubes to bind with nerve growth factor (NGF) and the ability of NGF-incorporated magnetic nanotubes to release the bound NGF are investigated using rat pheochromocytoma cells (PC12 cells). It is found that functional magnetic nanotubes with NGF incorporation enabled the differentiation of PC12 cells into neurons exhibiting growth cones and neurite outgrowth. Microscope observations show that filopodia extending from neuron growth cones were in close proximity to the NGF-incorporated magnetic nanotubes, at times appearing to extend towards or into them. These results show that magnetic nanotubes can be used as a delivery vehicle for NGF and thus may be exploited in attempts to treat neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease with neurotrophins. Further neurite outgrowth can be controlled by manipulating magnetic nanotubes with external magnetic fields, thus helping in directed regeneration.
