Comparative study of membranotropic action of single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes

The aim of the present work is the investigation of the interactions of single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (further referred as SWCNTs and MWCNTs, respectively) with bimolecular lipid model membrane (BLM) and cellular plasma membrane (PM). The findings demonstrate that both SWCNTs and MWCNTs (in concentration range of 10−4 to 10−1 mg ml−1) are capable to penetrate through the region of hydrophobic fatty acid residues of phospholipids and to form molecular associates in the bilayer that have conductive properties of molecular pores type. The formed pores were shown to enable phosphatidylserine externalization from inner to outer PM leaflet. Both types of CNTs increase the specific conductivity and decrease the specific capacity of BLM.