Cellular uptake and dynamics of unlabeled freestanding silicon nanowires

Zimmerman, John F.; Parameswaran, Ramya; Murray, Graeme; Wang, Yucai; Burke, Michael J.; Tian, Bozhi

doi:10.1126/sciadv.1601039

Cited by 87 publications

(122 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…One potential advantage of the nanostructures discussed here is that they are attached to a surface. While freestanding silicon nanowires readily undergo cellular uptake by cells, SEM studies show their ability to strongly deform or bend nanostructures . Very few reports discuss detachment of patterned nanostructures from the surface, except where by explicit design .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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High‐Aspect‐Ratio Nanostructured Surfaces as Biological Metamaterials

et al. 2020

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Materials patterned with high‐aspect‐ratio nanostructures have features on similar length scales to cellular components. These surfaces are an extreme topography on the cellular level and have become useful tools for perturbing and sensing the cellular environment. Motivation comes from the ability of high‐aspect‐ratio nanostructures to deliver cargoes into cells and tissues, access the intracellular environment, and control cell behavior. These structures directly perturb cells' ability to sense and respond to external forces, influencing cell fate, and enabling new mechanistic studies. Through careful design of their nanoscale structure, these systems act as biological metamaterials, eliciting unusual biological responses. While predominantly used to interface eukaryotic cells, there is growing interest in nonanimal and prokaryotic cell interfacing. Both experimental and theoretical studies have attempted to develop a mechanistic understanding for the observed behaviors, predominantly focusing on the cell–nanostructure interface. This review considers how high‐aspect‐ratio nanostructured surfaces are used to both stimulate and sense biological systems.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Here, we examine surfaces, rather than untethered high‐aspect‐ratio nanostructures, or single‐cell probes . The description “high aspect ratio” is loosely defined in the literature, but is typically applied to structures with an aspect ratio equal to or greater than 10:1 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High‐Aspect‐Ratio Nanostructured Surfaces as Biological Metamaterials

et al. 2020

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“…2 Both of these cell types are phagocytic and, using endogenous pathways, can internalize singly kinked SiNWs. 3 These singly kinked SiNWs were chosen so that the kink could be anchored to a part of the cytoskeleton, limiting rotational and translational movements of the nanowire (Figure 3C). Intracellular forces experienced by the cells were then measured during live-cell imaging of kinked SiNW bending that occurred as a result of both drug-induced contractions, as well as basal processes such as migration and division (Figure 3C,D).…”

Section: Detecting Cellular Behaviorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…1–10 With appropriate compositions and structures, they can be both biocompatible and biodegradable. 3,8,11,12 For instance, one can readily control the doping profiles and morphologies in silicon (Si) nanowires via a vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) growth process and specifically by modulating synthesis parameters such as pressure and temperature. 6,13–20 These synthetic controls can effectively encode micro- and nanoscale features, yielding a large toolbox of Si-based biomaterials.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Rational Design of Semiconductor Nanostructures for Functional Subcellular Interfaces

Parameswaran

Tian

2018

Acc. Chem. Res.

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CONSPECTUS One of the fundamental questions guiding research in the biological sciences is how cellular systems process complex physical and environmental cues and communicate with each other across multiple length scales. Importantly, aberrant signal processing in these systems can lead to diseases that can have devastating impacts on human lives. Biophysical studies in the past several decades have demonstrated that cells can respond to not only biochemical cues but also mechanical and electrical ones. Thus, the development of new materials that can both sense and modulate all of these pathways is necessary. Semiconducting nanostructures are an emerging class of discovery platforms and tools that can push the limits of our ability to modulate and sense biological behaviors for both fundamental research and clinical applications. These materials are of particular interest for interfacing with cellular systems due to their matched dimension with subcellular components (e.g., cytoskeletal filaments), and easily tunable properties in the electrical, optical and mechanical regimes. Rational design via traditional or new approaches, such as nanocasting and mesoscale chemical lithography, can allow us to control micro- and nanoscale features in nanowires to achieve new biointerfaces. Both processes endogenous to the target cell and properties of the material surface dictate the character of these interfaces. In this Account, we focus on (1) approaches for the rational design of semiconducting nanowires that exhibit unique structures for biointerfaces, (2) recent fundamental discoveries that yield robust biointerfaces at the subcellular level, (3) intracellular electrical and mechanical sensing, and (4) modulation of cellular behaviors through material topography and remote physical stimuli. In the first section, we discuss new approaches for the synthetic control of micro- and nanoscale features of these materials. In the second section, we focus on achieving biointerfaces with these rationally designed materials either intra- or extracellularly. We last delve into the use of these materials in sensing mechanical forces and electrical signals in various cellular systems as well as in instructing cellular behaviors. Future research in this area may shift the paradigm in fundamental biophysical research and biomedical applications through (1) the design and synthesis of new semiconductor-based materials and devices that interact specifically with targeted cells, (2) the clarification of many developmental, physiological, and anatomical aspects of cellular communications, (3) an understanding of how signaling between cells regulates synaptic development (e.g., information like this would offer new insight into how the nervous system works and provide new targets for the treatment of neurological diseases), (4) and the creation of new cellular materials that have the potential to open up completely new areas of application, such as in hybrid information processing systems.

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Talking to Cells: Semiconductor Nanomaterials at the Cellular Interface

Rotenberg

Tian

2018

Adv. Biosys.

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The interface of biological components with semiconductors is a growing field with numerous applications. For example, the interfaces can be used to sense and modulate the electrical activity of single cells and tissues. From the materials point of view, silicon is the ideal option for such studies due to its controlled chemical synthesis, scalable lithography for functional devices, excellent electronic and optical properties, biocompatibility and biodegradability. Recent advances in this area are pushing the bio-interfaces from the tissue and organ level to the single cell and sub-cellular regimes. In this progress report, we will describe some fundamental studies focusing on miniaturizing the bioelectric and biomechanical interfaces. Additionally, many of our highlighted examples involve freestanding silicon-based nanoscale systems, in addition to substrate-bound structures or devices; the former offers new promise for basic research and clinical application. In this report, we will describe recent developments in the interfacing of neuronal and cardiac cells and their networks. Moreover, we will briefly discuss the incorporation of semiconductor nanostructures for interfacing non-excitable cells in applications such as probing intracellular force dynamics and drug delivery. Finally, we will suggest several directions for future exploration.

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Cellular uptake and dynamics of unlabeled freestanding silicon nanowires

Abstract: Cells naturally “eat” nanowires, paving way for intracellular sensing devices and photoresponsive therapies.

Cited by 87 publications

References 58 publications

High‐Aspect‐Ratio Nanostructured Surfaces as Biological Metamaterials

High‐Aspect‐Ratio Nanostructured Surfaces as Biological Metamaterials

Rational Design of Semiconductor Nanostructures for Functional Subcellular Interfaces

Talking to Cells: Semiconductor Nanomaterials at the Cellular Interface

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