Inducing cells to disperse nickel nanowires via integrin-mediated responses

We present non-cytotoxic, magnetic, Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-functionalized nickel nanowires (RGD–nanowires) that trigger specific cellular responses via integrin transmembrane receptors, resulting in dispersal of the nanowires. Time-lapse fluorescence and phase contrast microscopy showed that dispersal of 3 μ m long nanowire increased by a factor of 1.54 with functionalization by RGD, compared to polyethylene glycol (PEG), through integrin-specific binding, internalization and proliferation in osteosarcoma cells. Further, a 35.5% increase in cell density was observed in the presence of RGD–nanowires, compared to an increase of only 15.6% with PEG–nanowires. These results promise to advance applications of magnetic nanoparticles in drug delivery, hyperthermia, and cell separation where uniformity and high efficiency in cell targeting is desirable.

Anirudh Sharma, Gregory M Orlowski, Yuechen Zhu, Daniel Shore, Seung Yeon Kim, Michael D DiVito, Allison Hubel and Bethanie J H Stadler

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