Electric field-induced reversible trapping of microtubules along metallic glass microwire electrodes

Kim, Kyongwan; Sikora, A.; Nakayama, Koji S.; Umetsu, Mitsuo; Hwang, Wonmuk; Teizer, W.

doi:10.1063/1.4917203

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 55 publications

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“…During neuronal excitation, significant changes in local concentration of ions can generate electrical potential in neuron cytoplasm . Microtubules always tend to grow along the externally applied electric field, as has been shown experimentally. − In addition, microtubules have been speculated to have an effect on the ion propagation along their external surfaces by theoretical analysis based on the charge distribution on microtubule surfaces. ,, However, the ion permeability of the microtubule wall and the role of microtubules in the propagation of neural electric signals have seldom been investigated.…”

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confidence: 99%

Ion Permeability of a Microtubule in Neuron Environment

Shen¹

2018

J. Phys. Chem. Lett.

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Microtubules, constituted by end-to-end negatively charged α- and β-tubulin dimers, are long, hollow, pseudohelical cylinders with internal and external diameters of about 16 and 26 nm, respectively, and widely exist in cell cytoplasm, neuron axons, and dendrites. Although their structural functions in physiological processes, such as cell mitosis, cell motility, and motor protein transport, have been widely accepted, their role in neuron activity remains attractively elusive. Here we show a new function of microtubules: they can generate instant response to a calcium pulse because of their specific permeability for ions. Our comprehensive simulations from all-atom molecular dynamics to potential of mean force and continuum modeling reveal that K and Na ions can permeate through the nanopores in the microtubule wall easily, while Ca ions are blocked by the wall with a much higher free energy barrier. These cations are adsorbed to the surfaces of the wall with affinity decreasing in the sequence Ca, Na, and K. As a result, when the concentration of Ca ions increases outside the microtubule during neuronal excitation, K and Na ions will be driven into the microtubule, triggering subsequent axial ion redistribution within the microtubule. The results shed light on the possibility of the ion-permeable microtubules being involved in neural signal processing.

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confidence: 99%

Ion Permeability of a Microtubule in Neuron Environment

Shen¹

2018

J. Phys. Chem. Lett.

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Microtubule guiding in a multi-walled carbon nanotube circuit

Sikora

Ramón‐Azcón

Şen

et al. 2015

Biomed Microdevices

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In nanotechnological devices, mass transport can be initiated by pressure driven flow, diffusion or by employing molecular motors. As the scale decreases, molecular motors can be helpful as they are not limited by increased viscous resistance. Moreover, molecular motors can move against diffusion gradients and are naturally fitted for nanoscale transportation. Among motor proteins, kinesin has particular potential for lab-on-a-chip applications. It can be used for sorting, concentrating or as a mechanical sensor. When bound to a surface, kinesin motors propel microtubules in random directions, depending on their landing orientation. In order to circumvent this complication, the microtubule motion should be confined or guided. To this end, dielectrophoretically aligned multi-walled-carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) can be employed as nanotracks. In order to control more precisely the spatial repartition of the MWCNTs, a screening method has been implemented and tested. Polygonal patterns have been fabricated with the aim of studying the guiding and the microtubule displacement between MWCNT segments. Microtubules are observed to transfer between MWCNT segments, a prerequisite for the guiding of microtubules in MWCNT circuit-based biodevices. The effect of the MWCNT organization (crenellated or hexagonal) on the MT travel distance has been investigated as well.

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Lab-on-chip microscope platform for electro-manipulation of a dense microtubules network

Havelka

Zhernov

Teplan

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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Pulsed electric field (PEF) technology is promising for the manipulation of biomolecular components and has potential applications in biomedicine and bionanotechnology. Microtubules, nanoscopic tubular structures self-assembled from protein tubulin, serve as important components in basic cellular processes as well as in engineered biomolecular nanosystems. Recent studies in cell-based models have demonstrated that PEF affects the cytoskeleton, including microtubules. However, the direct effects of PEF on microtubules are not clear. In this work, we developed a lab-on-a-chip platform integrated with a total internal reflection fluorescence microscope system to elucidate the PEF effects on a microtubules network mimicking the cell-like density of microtubules. The designed platform enables the delivery of short (microsecond-scale), high-field-strength ($$\le$$ ≤ 25 kV/cm) electric pulses far from the electrode/electrolyte interface. We showed that microsecond PEF is capable of overcoming the non-covalent microtubule bonding force to the substrate and translocating the microtubules. This microsecond PEF effect combined with macromolecular crowding led to aggregation of microtubules. Our results expand the toolbox of bioelectronics technologies and electromagnetic tools for the manipulation of biomolecular nanoscopic systems and contribute to the understanding of microsecond PEF effects on a microtubule cytoskeleton.

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Electric field-induced reversible trapping of microtubules along metallic glass microwire electrodes

Cited by 4 publications

References 55 publications

Ion Permeability of a Microtubule in Neuron Environment

Ion Permeability of a Microtubule in Neuron Environment

Microtubule guiding in a multi-walled carbon nanotube circuit

Lab-on-chip microscope platform for electro-manipulation of a dense microtubules network

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