Amino-Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes Act as a Carrier for Nerve Growth Factor: Study

There are growing studies in recent years concerning the use of different carrier materials for sustained-release and controlled-release of nerve growth factor in neuroscience research.

In a study by Prof. Gao Li and team from Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China, amino-functionalized ethylenediamine-treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes were used to prepare carbon nanotubes-nerve growth factor complexes by non-covalent grafting.

Results showed that amino functionalization improved carbon nanotubes-nerve growth factor complex dispersibility, reduced their toxicity to PC12 cells, and promoted PC12 cell differentiation and chick embryo dorsal root ganglion. This study has been reported in the Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 9, No. 3, 2014).

Source: Eurekalert