Concise Review: Carbon Nanotechnology: Perspectives in Stem Cell Research

Abstract

Carbon nanotechnology has developed rapidly during the last decade, and carbon allotropes, especially graphene and carbon nanotubes, have already found a wide variety of applications in industry, high-tech fields, biomedicine, and basic science. Electroconductive nanomaterials have attracted great attention from tissue engineers in the design of remotely controlled cell-substrate interfaces. Carbon nanoconstructs are also under extensive investigation by clinical scientists as potential agents in anticancer therapies. Despite the recent progress in human pluripotent stem cell research, only a few attempts to use carbon nanotechnology in the stem cell field have been reported. However, acquired experience with and knowledge of carbon nanomaterials may be efficiently used in the development of future personalized medicine and in tissue engineering. STEM CELLS

In vitro study of biocompatibility of a graphene composite with gold nanoparticles and hydroxyapatite on human osteoblasts

“…The instructive properties of graphenes for stem cell differentiation can be controlled and modulated in terms of substrate rigidity, topography, electrical charge and adding extracellular matrix components. Only the changes in substrate elasticity were able to induce in iPSC the upregulation of neurogenic (soft matrices), myogenic (stiffer matrices) or osteogenic markers (rigid matrices) (Engler et al ., ; Pryzhkova, ). Graphene can be used as an additive to improve the mechanical properties of different composites such as hydroxyapatite (HA) or glasses, materials often used in osteointegration in bone tissue engineering, with increased osteoblast adhesion and terminal differentiation (Mehrali et al ., ).…”

“…Current concerns were published about using composite nanomaterials, including carbon nanomaterials, for various biomedical applications, raising the issue of their potential toxicity and ability to induce side effects in contact with different cells (Du et al ., ; Jain et al ., ; Ji et al ., ). Carbon‐based nanomaterials are under extensive development as medical applications particularly as carbon nanotubes and graphene because of their attractive properties: very small size making them suitable to react with living cells, high electrical and thermal conductivity, high mechanical strength and chemical stability, easy incorporation of functional groups (Pryzhkova, ; Tonelli et al ., ). Among these carbon‐based materials, graphene has become very popular in the research community after Novoselov et al .…”

Bench to bedside: Current advances in regenerative medicine

“…In conclusion, sophisticated methods for PSC derivation and transplantation have advanced basic research, but extensive preclinical analysis of all cell therapies with respect to cell origin (embryo, foetus, iPSC), tumorigenicity, potency, administration strategy (suspension, monolayer, encapsulation [41]) and mode of action must be performed to enable safe integration into the clinic [42]*. Clinical trials must begin to recruit more participants to enable robust statistical analysis of each cell therapy.…”

Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Rescue H₂O₂-induced Inhibition of Cardiac Differentiation

“…The crucial developments in nanotechnology and drug delivery system have surmounted many common obstacles in conventional medicine, and shown great advantage over traditional drugs in targeting and bioavailability (Mitragotri et al, 2015). Meanwhile, the novel system significantly improves drug stability and release dynamics, and consequently maximizes the therapeutic effects and minimizes side effects (Pryzhkova, 2013). Therefore, exploitations of novel and diversified nanodrug delivery systems have become the critical subject in nano-biomedicine.…”