Nanomedicine, 2012, 7 (10), 1485-1494

In vivo degradation of functionalized carbon nanotubes after stereotactic administration in the brain cortex

Antonio Nunes, Cyrill Bussy, Lisa Gherardini, Moreno Meneghetti, Maria Antonia Herrero, Alberto Bianco, Maurizio Prato, Tommaso Pizzorusso, Khuloud T. Al-Jamal and Kostas Kostarelos

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are increasingly being utilized in neurological applications as components of implants, electrodes or as delivery vehicles. Any application that involves implantation or injection of CNTs into the CNS needs to address the distribution and fate of the material following interaction and residence within the neuronal tissue. Here we report a preliminary study investigating the fate and structural integrity of amino-functionalized CNTs following stereotactic administration in the brain cortex.