Magnetic Nanowires in Bio

Non-cytotoxic, magnetic, Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-functionalized nickel nanowires were found to trigger specific cellular responses via integrin transmembrane receptors, resulting in dispersal of the nanowires. Further, a 35.5% increase in cell density was observed in the presence of RGD-nanowires, compared to an increase of only 15.6% with PEG-nanowires. These results promise to advance applications of magnetic nanoparticles in drug delivery, hyperthermia, and cell separation where uniformity and high efficiency in cell targeting is desirable.