Carbon Nanotubes

Contributors Preface Stabilisation of Carbon Nanotube Suspensions Dimitrios G. Fatouros, Marta Roldob and Susanna M. van der Merwe Introduction Functionalised CNTs for Drug Delivery Surface-Active Agents in Stabilising CNT Suspensions Stabilisation of Aqueous Suspensions of Carbon Nanotubes by Self-Assembling Block Copolymers Stabilisation of Aqueous Suspensions of Carbon Nanotubes by Chitosan and its Derivatives Biomedical Applications I: Delivery of Drugs Giampiero Spalluto, Stephanie Federico, Barbara Cacciari, Alberto Bianco, Siew Lee Cheong and Maurizio Prato Introduction Non-Covalent Functionalisation on the External Walls "Defect" Functionalisation at the Tips and Sidewalls Covalent Functionalisation on the External Sidewalls Encapsulation Inside CNTs Conclusions and Perspectives Biomedical Applications II: In_luence of Carbon Nanotubes in Cancer Therapy Chiara Fabbro, Francesca Maria Toma and Tatiana Da Ros Importance of Nanotechnology in Cancer Therapy Carbon Nanotubes: A Brief Overview Carbon Nanotubes as Drug Vectors in Cancer Treatment Delivery of Oligonucleotides Mediated by Carbon Nanotubes Carbon Nanotubes in Radiotherapy Carbon Nanotubes in Thermal Ablation Biosensors Based on Carbon Nanotubes Conclusions Biomedical Applications III: Delivery of Immunostimulants and Vaccines Li Jian, Gopalakrishnan Venkatesan and Giorgia Pastorin Introduction to the Immune System Immunogenic Response of Peptide Antigens Conjugated to Functionalised CNTs Interaction of Functionalised CNTs with CPG Motifs and Their Immunostimulatory Activity Immunogenicity of Carbon Nanotubes Conclusions Biomedical Applications IV: Carbon Nanotube-Nucleic Acid Complexes for Biosensors, Gene Delivery and Selective Cancer Therapy Venkata Sudheer Makam, Jason Teng Cang-Rong, Sia Lee Yoong and Giorgia Pastorin Introduction Interaction of CNTs with Nucleic Acids Sensors and Nanocomposites CNT-Nucleic Acid Complexes for Gene Delivery and Selective Cancer Treatment Biomedical Applications V: In_luence of Carbon Nanotubes in Neuronal Living Networks Cecilia Menard-Moyon Introduction Effects of Carbon Nanotubes on Neuronal Cells' Adhesion, Growth, Morphology and Differentiation Electrical Stimulation of Neuronal Cells Grown on Carbon Nanotube-Based Substrates Investigation of the Mechanisms of the Electrical Interactions Between CNTs and Neurons Conclusions and Perspectives Biomedical Applications VI: Carbon Nanotubes as Biosensing and Bio-interfacial Materials Yupeng Ren Introduction Biosensor Bio-interface Conclusions Toxicity of Carbon Nanotubes Tapas Ranjan Nayak and Giorgia Pastorin Introduction Parameters Responsible for the Toxicity of CNTs Environmental Exposure Conclusion Overview on the Major Research Activities on Carbon Nanotubes being done in America, Europe and Asia Cecilia Menard-Moyon and Giorgia Pastorin Introduction America Europe Asia Index