Penetration of living cell membranes with fortified carbon nanotube tips

Ivan U. Vakarelski; Scott C. Brown; Ko Higashitani; Brij M. Moudgil

doi:10.1021/la701878n

Penetration of living cell membranes with fortified carbon nanotube tips

Ivan U. Vakarelski, Scott C. Brown, Ko Higashitani, Brij M. Moudgil^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

106 Scopus citations

Abstract

We have fabricated robust nanosurgical needles suitable for single cell operations by modifying multiwalled carbon nanotube (MCNT)-terminated atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips. Extra-long MCNT AFM tips were prepared and fortified with molecular layers of carbon to overcome mechanical instabilities and then coated with an outer shell of gold to promote chemical versatility. The terminal diameters of the final fabricated tips were approximately 30-40 nm, and the MCNT probes were several micrometers in length. We illustrate the capability of these modified MCNT tips to carry nanoparticulate payloads and to penetrate the plasma membrane of living pleural mesothelial cells at the smallest indentation depths (100-200 nm) and lowest penetration forces (100-200 pN) currently reported for these procedures.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	10893-10896
Number of pages	4
Journal	LANGMUIR
Volume	23
Issue number	22
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/la701878n
State	Published - Oct 23 2007
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Materials Science
Condensed Matter Physics
Surfaces and Interfaces
Spectroscopy
Electrochemistry

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10.1021/la701878n

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title = "Penetration of living cell membranes with fortified carbon nanotube tips",

abstract = "We have fabricated robust nanosurgical needles suitable for single cell operations by modifying multiwalled carbon nanotube (MCNT)-terminated atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips. Extra-long MCNT AFM tips were prepared and fortified with molecular layers of carbon to overcome mechanical instabilities and then coated with an outer shell of gold to promote chemical versatility. The terminal diameters of the final fabricated tips were approximately 30-40 nm, and the MCNT probes were several micrometers in length. We illustrate the capability of these modified MCNT tips to carry nanoparticulate payloads and to penetrate the plasma membrane of living pleural mesothelial cells at the smallest indentation depths (100-200 nm) and lowest penetration forces (100-200 pN) currently reported for these procedures.",

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AU - Vakarelski, Ivan U.

AU - Brown, Scott C.

AU - Higashitani, Ko

AU - Moudgil, Brij M.

PY - 2007/10/23

Y1 - 2007/10/23

N2 - We have fabricated robust nanosurgical needles suitable for single cell operations by modifying multiwalled carbon nanotube (MCNT)-terminated atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips. Extra-long MCNT AFM tips were prepared and fortified with molecular layers of carbon to overcome mechanical instabilities and then coated with an outer shell of gold to promote chemical versatility. The terminal diameters of the final fabricated tips were approximately 30-40 nm, and the MCNT probes were several micrometers in length. We illustrate the capability of these modified MCNT tips to carry nanoparticulate payloads and to penetrate the plasma membrane of living pleural mesothelial cells at the smallest indentation depths (100-200 nm) and lowest penetration forces (100-200 pN) currently reported for these procedures.

AB - We have fabricated robust nanosurgical needles suitable for single cell operations by modifying multiwalled carbon nanotube (MCNT)-terminated atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips. Extra-long MCNT AFM tips were prepared and fortified with molecular layers of carbon to overcome mechanical instabilities and then coated with an outer shell of gold to promote chemical versatility. The terminal diameters of the final fabricated tips were approximately 30-40 nm, and the MCNT probes were several micrometers in length. We illustrate the capability of these modified MCNT tips to carry nanoparticulate payloads and to penetrate the plasma membrane of living pleural mesothelial cells at the smallest indentation depths (100-200 nm) and lowest penetration forces (100-200 pN) currently reported for these procedures.

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Penetration of living cell membranes with fortified carbon nanotube tips

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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