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Related Experiment Video

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Gold Nanorod-assisted Optical Stimulation of Neuronal Cells
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Piezoelectric Nanoparticle-Assisted Wireless Neuronal Stimulation.

Attilio Marino1,2, Satoshi Arai3, Yanyan Hou3

  • 1†Center for Micro-BioRobotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025 Pontedera (Pisa), Italy.

ACS Nano
|July 14, 2015
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Summary

Piezoelectric barium titanate nanoparticles (BTNPs) can electrically stimulate neuron-like cells using ultrasound. This study confirms BTNPs activate ion channels in cells, demonstrating their potential as nanotransducers.

Keywords:
SH-SY5Y cellsbarium titanate nanoparticlescalcium imagingpiezoelectricityultrasounds

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Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Materials Science
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Barium titanate nanoparticles (BTNPs) possess piezoelectric properties, enabling their use as nanotransducers.
  • Indirect electrical stimulation of neuronal cells is a growing area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential of piezoelectric BTNPs for indirect electrical stimulation of SH-SY5Y neuron-like cells using ultrasound.
  • To elucidate the underlying mechanisms of cellular response to this stimulation.

Main Methods:

  • Treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with tetragonal piezoelectric BTNPs and cubic nonpiezoelectric BTNPs.
  • Application of ultrasound to stimulate cells.
  • Fluorescence imaging to monitor ion dynamics (calcium and sodium fluxes).
  • Utilizing channel blockers to identify activated membrane channels.
  • Development of an electroelastic model for BTNPs under ultrasound.

Main Results:

  • Ultrasound application to BTNP-treated cells induced significant calcium and sodium fluxes.
  • Voltage-gated membrane channels were identified as the activated pathways.
  • No cellular response was observed with nonpiezoelectric cubic BTNPs, supporting the piezoelectric hypothesis.
  • The electroelastic model predicted voltages compatible with ion channel activation.

Conclusions:

  • Piezoelectric BTNPs can effectively stimulate neuron-like cells indirectly via ultrasound.
  • This stimulation activates voltage-gated ion channels, highlighting a novel application for piezoelectric nanomaterials in neuroscience.
  • BTNPs show promise as nanotransducers for non-invasive cellular stimulation.