Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 22, 2026
11:13
Design and Implementation of an Automated Illuminating, Culturing, and Sampling System for Microbial Optogenetic Applications
Published on: February 19, 2017
9.4K
Transporting a tube in a tube
Jieling Li1, Yi Jia, Weiguang Dong
1Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Institute of Chemistry, CAS Key Lab of Colloid, Interface, and Chemical Thermodynamics, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100190, China.
Nano Letters
|October 11, 2014
Summary
Layer-by-layer assembled tubes enable nanoscale cargo transport using kinesin motor proteins and microtubules. These engineered channels facilitate efficient movement, paving the way for controlled micro/nanoscale delivery systems.
Area of Science:
- Biomimetic Nanotechnology
- Molecular Motors
- Materials Science
Background:
- Kinesin and microtubules form a biological transport system.
- Micro/nanoscale cargo delivery requires efficient and controlled methods.
- Layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly offers precise control over material structure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop LbL-assembled tubes for micro/nanoscale cargo transportation.
- To utilize the kinesin-microtubule system within engineered channels.
- To investigate the feasibility of controlled cargo movement using these systems.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of LbL-assembled tubular structures.
- Modification of inner tube walls with kinesins via Ni-NTA complexes.
- Microtubule motility assays to observe movement along the functionalized tubes.
Main Results:
- Successfully created functionalized tubes acting as channels for microtubules.
- Demonstrated smooth movement of microtubules along the inner tube walls.
- Kinesins immobilized on the inner surface powered microtubule transport.
Conclusions:
- LbL-assembled tubes can serve as effective channels for kinesin-microtubule based transport.
- This system shows potential for transporting various cargo sizes with minimal external interference.
- Engineered biomimetic channels offer a novel approach for directed nanoscale delivery.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Steady, Laminar Flow in Circular Tubes
2.0K
Hagen-Poiseuille flow describes a viscous fluid's steady, incompressible flow through a cylindrical tube with a constant radius R. This flow profile is often applied to understand fluid transport in narrow channels, such as capillaries. It serves as a foundational example of laminar flow. In this model, cylindrical coordinates (r,θ,z) are used to describe the radial (r), angular (θ), and axial (z) dimensions within the tube. For Hagen-Poiseuille flow, the velocity profile is purely...
2.0K
01:26Enteral Nutrition I: Orogastric and Nasogastric Feeding
2.8K
Enteral nutrition delivers nutrients directly to the stomach or small intestine through a tube. This method is appropriate for patients who cannot eat but still have a functioning digestive system. It is also beneficial for individuals with swallowing difficulties, anorexia, malabsorption, or those who have undergone gastrointestinal (GI) surgery.
Orogastric (OG) and nasogastric (NG) feeding are two standard methods used for enteral nutrition. Enteral nutrition is often preferred over...
Orogastric (OG) and nasogastric (NG) feeding are two standard methods used for enteral nutrition. Enteral nutrition is often preferred over...
2.8K
01:28Tracheostomy: Procedure and Tubes
5.6K
A tracheostomy is a surgical procedure that creates an artificial opening into the trachea, typically at the second or third cartilaginous ring level. This opening allows the insertion of a tracheostomy tube, which can replace an endotracheal tube, provide mechanical ventilation, bypass an upper airway obstruction, or remove accumulated tracheobronchial secretions.
Tracheostomy tubes can be made of semiflexible plastic (polyurethane or silicone), rigid plastic, or metal, and they come in...
Tracheostomy tubes can be made of semiflexible plastic (polyurethane or silicone), rigid plastic, or metal, and they come in...
5.6K
01:18Rise of Liquid in a Capillary Tube
3.0K
When very thin cylindrical tubes, called capillaries, are dipped in a liquid, the liquid rises or falls in the tube compared to the surrounding liquid. This phenomenon is called capillary action. Capillary action occurs due to the combination of two opposing forces: the cohesive forces of the liquid, which cause it to stick to itself and form a rounded shape, and the adhesive forces between the liquid and the walls of the container, which cause the liquid to be attracted to the container walls.
3.0K
01:15Endotracheal Intubation I: Procedure
13.6K
Endotracheal or ET intubation is a critical medical procedure used to secure a patient's airway, often in acute respiratory distress, apnea, upper airway obstruction, ineffective clearance of secretions, high risk for aspiration, or during general anesthesia.
The ET tube comprises various components, including a standard adaptor to attach a bag-valve-mask (BVM) or ventilator, a cuff, a pilot balloon, and radiopaque markings along its length to measure the insertion distance. The tube sizes...
The ET tube comprises various components, including a standard adaptor to attach a bag-valve-mask (BVM) or ventilator, a cuff, a pilot balloon, and radiopaque markings along its length to measure the insertion distance. The tube sizes...
13.6K
01:16Uterine Tubes
4.0K
The uterine or fallopian tubes function as the conduit through which oocytes travel from the ovaries to the uterus. Each fallopian tube measures approximately 10 to 13 cm long and is anatomically divided into the infundibulum, ampulla, isthmus, and interstitial part (or intramural segment). The infundibulum is characterized by its funnel shape and features extensions called fimbriae which reach towards the peritoneal cavity. These fimbriae play a critical role during ovulation as they extend...
4.0K