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Carbon Nanotubes: Nerve

Regeneration

Objective

Severely damaged peripheral nerves cannot


regenerate themselves and the options for
repair are limited. Current treatments rely on
nerve grafts from elsewhere in the patients
body or from a donor, but do not restore
function completely. Researchers are
investigating Carbon nanotubes, with its
unique properties, to see if they can provide
the best alternative to an injured nerve.

CNT-interfaced biomaterial scaffold will provide


some informative and pioneering concepts on the
possible utility of CNT interfacing as a novel guide
and scaffold for the repair and regeneration of nerve
tissues.

Carbon Nanotube Properties related to Chemistry

Electrical Structure (Conducts Electricity)

Each carbon atom (Z = 6) is covalently


bonded to three neighbor carbons via sp2
molecular orbitals.The fourth valence
electron, in the pz orbital, hybridizes with all
the other pz orbitals to form a delocalized band.

Metallic or Semiconducting-depends on what


you create
Strength

Interlocking carbon-to-carbon by covalent


bonds.

Each carbon nanotube is one large


molecule (no weak spots).

Preparation of CNTPGFs and nerve scaffolds

First, the glass surfaces were positively charged with


amine residues. The glass microfiber bundles and discs
were pretreated with 1 N hydrochloric acid for 5 min,
treated with 2.5% 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilane (APTES;
SigmaAldrich) at pH 5.0 for 10 s, then dried with a heat
gun (120 C) 10 times (Fig. 1B). CNT solution was
prepared after carboxylation of raw CNTs by the acid
oxidation method. Briefly, 0.5 g of CNTs was added to
H2SO4/HNO3 1:1 aqueous solution and refluxed at 80 C
for 2 days, followed by filtration through a 0.4 m
Millipore membrane. The resultant carboxylated CNTs
were washed and dried under a vacuum, then dissolved
in ethanol to a concentration of 0.0025 wt.%. The
aminated glass bundles and discs were then soaked in
the CNTCOOH solution with 0.006 mM 1-ethyl-3-(3dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride
A series of chemical reactions
Solubility

What was Discovered?

Carbon nanotubes were successfully interfaced on


phosphate glass fibers for nerve guidance and then
implemented into a 3-D scaffold which possessed
physicochemical integrity with good cell viability and neuronal
interactions.

A team of researchers implanted the CNT-PGF scaffold into the


severed sciatic nerve in the hip of test rats and compared the results to
a PGF control scaffold without CNTs. After 16 weeks, the researchers
found more axons the thread-like part of nerve cells that conducts
electrical impulses crossing the CNT-PGF scaffold than in the control
sample and more nerve (or Schwann) cells. The CNT-PGF scaffold
was also more effective in restoring motor function to the damaged
nerve and did not appear to induce a toxic response in vivo.

Work Cited
"Carbon-nanotube-interfaced Glass Fiber Scaffold for Regeneration of Transected Sciatic Nerve." Carbon-nanotube-interfaced Glass Fiber
Scaffold for Regeneration of Transected Sciatic Nerve. N.p., 2015. Web. 07 Dec. 2015. <http://www.sciencedirect.
com/science/article/pii/S1742706114005200>
"3D Printed Guides Used for Complex Nerve Regeneration, May Treat Spinal Injuries |." Medgadget. N.p., 24 Sept. 2015. Web. 07 Dec.
2015. <http://www.medgadget.com/2015/09/3d-printed-guides-used-for-complex-nerve-regeneration-may-treat-spinal-injuries.html>.
Sealy, Cordelia. "Carbon Nanotubes Show Nerve in Repair." Materials Today. N.p., 20 Jan. 2015. Web. 07 Dec. 2015. <http://www.
materialstoday.com/biomaterials/news/carbon-nanotubes-show-nerve-in-repair/>.
"Scanning the Properties of Nanotubes." Properties of Carbon Nanotubes. Wiley Publishing, n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015. <http://www.
understandingnano.com/nanotubes-carbon-properties.html>.
Dr. Mirko Janc (Tech Typeset) 427 1999 Feb 15 15:33:29. "Electrical Properties and Applications of Carbon Nanotube Structures."
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology 7 (2007): 1-29. Web.

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