Multiwall carbon nanotubes as MRI contrast agents for tracking stem cells

Orazio Vittorio; Suzanne L. Duce; Andrea Pietrabissa; Alfred Cuschieri

doi:10.1088/0957-4484/22/9/095706

Multiwall carbon nanotubes as MRI contrast agents for tracking stem cells

Orazio Vittorio, Suzanne L. Duce, Andrea Pietrabissa, Alfred Cuschieri

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

49 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this study we investigate the potential of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with low metal impurities (2.57% iron) as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents. Taking into account probable aggregation at high MWCNTs concentration analysis shows that the r(2) relaxivity of MWCNTs in 1% agarose gels at 19 degrees C is 564 +/- 41 s(-1) mM(-1); this is attributed to both the presence of iron oxide impurities and also to the carbon MWCNT structure itself. Stem cells were labelled with MWCNTs to demonstrate the effectiveness of MWCNTs as MRI contrast agents for cellular MRI. The MWCNTs did not impair cell viability or proliferation. These results suggest that the MRI contrast agent properties of the MWCNTs could be used in vivo for stem cell tracking/imaging and during MWCNT-mediated targeted electro-chemotherapy of tumours.

Original language	English
Article number	095706
Pages (from-to)	-
Number of pages	7
Journal	Nanotechnology
Volume	22
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/22/9/095706
Publication status	Published - 4 Mar 2011

Keywords

IN-VIVO TRACKING
BIOCOMPATIBILITY
NANOCAPSULES
DESTRUCTION
DELIVERY
DESIGN

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10.1088/0957-4484/22/9/095706

Aref#d: 18678. Musculoskeletal Study of Limb Development in Vertebrates by Magnetic Resonance Imaging Microscopy (Career Re-entry fellowship)
Duce, S. (Investigator)
1/02/07 → 30/09/12
Project: Research

Cite this

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title = "Multiwall carbon nanotubes as MRI contrast agents for tracking stem cells",

abstract = "In this study we investigate the potential of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with low metal impurities (2.57% iron) as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents. Taking into account probable aggregation at high MWCNTs concentration analysis shows that the r(2) relaxivity of MWCNTs in 1% agarose gels at 19 degrees C is 564 +/- 41 s(-1) mM(-1); this is attributed to both the presence of iron oxide impurities and also to the carbon MWCNT structure itself. Stem cells were labelled with MWCNTs to demonstrate the effectiveness of MWCNTs as MRI contrast agents for cellular MRI. The MWCNTs did not impair cell viability or proliferation. These results suggest that the MRI contrast agent properties of the MWCNTs could be used in vivo for stem cell tracking/imaging and during MWCNT-mediated targeted electro-chemotherapy of tumours.",

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AU - Vittorio, Orazio

AU - Duce, Suzanne L.

AU - Pietrabissa, Andrea

AU - Cuschieri, Alfred

PY - 2011/3/4

Y1 - 2011/3/4

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KW - BIOCOMPATIBILITY

KW - NANOCAPSULES

KW - DESTRUCTION

KW - DELIVERY

KW - DESIGN

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Multiwall carbon nanotubes as MRI contrast agents for tracking stem cells

Abstract

Keywords

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Projects

Aref#d: 18678. Musculoskeletal Study of Limb Development in Vertebrates by Magnetic Resonance Imaging Microscopy (Career Re-entry fellowship)

Cite this