Cell-Internal Nanomagnetic Forces Alter Cytoskeletal Protein Transport Dynamics in Developing Excitatory Axons

Cytoskeletal proteins such as F-Actin and Microtubules are critical to the growth, morphology, and function of neurons. These proteins provide active force to enable the outgrowth and structural maintenance of the axon. Therefore, manipulation of these proteins could enable more specific engineering of axonal outgrowth. Previous works have utilized magnetically actuated mechanical forces to alter the axonal distribution of these proteins and manipulate in vitro movement. However, the impacts of exogenous forces on critical cytoskeletal protein transport dynamics within live axons have not yet been examined. In this study, we build on our previous work to examine the impacts of cell-internal nanomagnetic forces on the transport of human β-Actin and Tubulins. We identified differential magnetic nanoparticle uptake in cortical neurons at two stages of development. During the earlier developmental stage, anterograde-aligned forces actuated by these particles could bias α-Tubulin transport. Influencing axonal protein transport could enable targeted neural engineering in the future.