NSF Org:	CBET Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems
Recipient:
Initial Amendment Date:	May 30, 2007
Latest Amendment Date:	May 30, 2007
Award Number:	0707969
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Leon Esterowitz CBET  Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems ENG  Directorate for Engineering
Start Date:	June 15, 2007
End Date:	May 31, 2008 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$129,737.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$129,737.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2007 = $129,737.00
History of Investigator:	Jessica Winter (Principal Investigator) winter.63@osu.edu Jeffrey Chalmers (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	Ohio State University Research Foundation -DO NOT USE 1960 KENNY RD Columbus OH  US  43210-1016 (614)688-8734
Sponsor Congressional District:	03
Primary Place of Performance:	Ohio State University Research Foundation -DO NOT USE 1960 KENNY RD Columbus OH  US  43210-1016
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	03
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	QR7NH79713E5
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s):	NANOSCALE: EXPLORATORY RSRCH
Primary Program Source:	app-0107
Program Reference Code(s):	0000, 014E, 7236, OTHR
Program Element Code(s):	167600
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.041

ABSTRACT

CBET-0707969 Winter The applicant is creating intracellular nanoprobes for the physical manipulation
of cells using magnetic nanoparticles (i.e., supraparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles
(SPIONs)). SPIONs are excellent candidate materials for mechanical cellular nanoprobes
because they can serve as physical actuators, producing a controlled, investigator-triggered
force in response to a magnetic field. Previously, SPIONs encapsulated in magnetic
microspheres have been used to examine the response of cells to extracellular force. These
studies demonstrated that the cytoskeleton, a biopolymer network responsible for the mechanical
integrity of cells, is part of an elaborate mechanotransduction system that can influence many
cell functions. However, these studies use large particles, nearly half the size of a cell, which
indirectly interface with the cytoskeleton through extracellular cell surface receptors. Although
some attempts have been made to use smaller SPIONs inside a cell, these methods rely on
particle endocytosis for delivery. Particles remain trapped in endosomes, unable to interact with
cytoplasmic structures. Thus, the potential to manipulate the cytoskeleton directly remains
largely untapped.
In this proposal the investigator will employ SPIONs as physical intracellular nanoprobes for direct, targeted manipulation of the actin cytoskeleton. As a model system, the role
of targeted versus untargeted cytoskeletal manipulation in fibroblast cell migration will be explored. Cell migration is a critical factor in embryonic development, nerve regeneration, tumor metastasis and wound healing repair. The ability to control cell migration using nanoparticles could have substantial implications for developmental biology and provide new therapeutic avenues for chronic or catastrophic wound care.

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