Cell viability and adhesion on as grown multi-wall carbon nanotube films

This work studies cell viability and cell adhesion on as-grown dense films of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes. Microwave plasma CVD reactor was used to produce quite pure carbon nanotubes. Fibroblast L929 mouse cells were used. MTT assay was used for the study of cell viability. The results show very high cell viability, close to 100% after 96 h of incubation. Cell adhesion was observed by scanning electron microscopy, which shows a first cell layer spreading flat on the surface formed by the nanotube tips. This first layer seems to block cell interaction with the nanotubes since next layers present normal globular growth.