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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Silicon Nanowires and Optical Stimulation for Investigations of Intra- and Intercellular Electrical Coupling

Silicon Nanowires and Optical Stimulation for Investigations of Intra- and Intercellular Electrical Coupling

Published on: January 28, 2021

Rewiring Intercellular Communication with Self-Assembling Nanofibers.

Ludovico Aloisio^1,2, Vito Vurro², Alberto D Scaccabarozzi^1,2

¹Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano,Piazza L. da Vinci 32, Milan 20133, Italy.

|June 23, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The small molecule DTTO self-assembles into nanofibers within cells, creating electrical connections between them. This restores intercellular communication, offering a new way to treat diseases without genetic modification.

Keywords:

bioelectricity gap junctions intracellular self-assembly nanofibers organic semiconductors

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Area of Science:

Biophysics
Cell Biology
Biomaterials

Background:

Intercellular electrical coupling via gap junctions is vital for biological signaling.
Disrupted coupling contributes to various diseases, including cardiac and neurological disorders.
Restoring cell-to-cell electrical communication non-genetically is a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the potential of intracellular self-assembled nanofibers for restoring electrical coupling between cells.
To establish a novel, non-genetic method for creating functional bioelectrical connections in situ.

Main Methods:

Utilized the small conjugated molecule DTTO (2,6-diphenyl-3,5-dimethyl-dithieno[3,2-b:2',3'-d]thiophene-4,4-dioxide) which self-assembles into nanofibers inside cells.
Employed dual patch clamp recordings to assess electrical coupling.
Performed pharmacological suppression of native gap junctions for control experiments.
Conducted electrical characterization including humidity-dependent measurements and impedance spectroscopy.

Main Results:

DTTO nanofibers successfully formed and spanned between neighboring cells, connecting their cytoplasm.
Functional electrical coupling was restored, demonstrated by signal transmission even when native gap junctions were inhibited.
Control experiments ruled out nonspecific membrane poration as the cause of signal recovery.
Electrical characterization confirmed that DTTO fiber networks support charge transport, influenced by ionic and interfacial factors.

Conclusions:

Intracellular self-assembly of DTTO nanofibers provides a non-genetic strategy to create functional bioelectrical connections.
This approach can restore electrical communication in cells, with potential applications in treating diseases and engineering tissues.