Figure 4.

CNPs are highly biocompatible.

Notes: (A) Confocal microscopy images of the intracellular nanofilaments in interphase cells treated with CNPs (top) or CNTs (bottom) for 72 h. CNP-treated cells display a well-organized radial cytoskeleton with visible centrosomes (green channel, empty arrows). On the contrary, cells exposed to CNTs show a typically disorganized microtubule cytoskeleton displaying no visible centrosomes and a reactive actin cortex (red channel). (B) CNP-treated cells display a survival rate comparable to controls. (C) Control and HeLa cell cultures exposed to CNPs for 72 h. CNP-treated cells display well-assembled spindles (3, 4) compared to untreated control cells (1, 2). Dying cells were not detected.

Abbreviations: CNPs, CNT-bearing particles; CNTs, carbon nanotubes.