Molecular delivery with nanowires

Abstract

A molecular delivery system including a plurality of nanowires (e.g., Si NWs), each of the nanowires having a surface layer formed of a silicon-containing material and a covalently bound linker (e.g., silane linker) attached to the surface layer and optionally including a substrate to which the nanowires are adhered or a molecule to be delivered attached to the linker. Also disclosed is a method of delivering into a cell an exogenous molecule.

1 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A molecular delivery system for delivery of a molecule to a cell, comprising:
 a plurality of nanowires attached to a surface of a substrate; and   a plurality of cells, wherein at least one cell of the plurality of cells is penetrated by at least one nanowire of the plurality of nanowires,   wherein the at least one nanowire comprises a surface layer of a silicon-containing material, a silane linker covalently bound thereto, and a molecule electrostatically bound to the silane linker.   
     
     
         38 . The molecular delivery system of  claim 37 , wherein at least some of the nanowires are attached to the surface along a substantially vertical direction to the surface. 
     
     
         39 . The molecular delivery system of  claim 37 , wherein the plurality of nanowires has an average diameter of less than 200 nm. 
     
     
         40 . The molecular delivery system of  claim 37 , wherein the plurality of nanowires has an average a length of 2.5-5 micrometers. 
     
     
         41 . The molecular delivery system of  claim 37 , wherein the plurality of nanowires has an average density of 0.01-10 nanowires/micrometer 2 . 
     
     
         42 . The molecular delivery system of  claim 37 , wherein the molecule is a protein or a polysaccharide. 
     
     
         43 . The molecular delivery system of  claim 37 , wherein the molecule is RNA or DNA. 
     
     
         44 . The molecular delivery system of  claim 37 , wherein the silicon-containing material is silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon carbide. 
     
     
         45 . The molecular delivery system of  claim 37 , wherein the silane linker is propylaminosilane, (3-aminopropyl)-trimethoxysilane, (11-aminoundecyl)-triethoxysilane, (3-mercaptopropyl)-trimethoxysilane, or (11-mercaptoundecyl)-trimethoxysilane. 
     
     
         46 . The molecular delivery system of  claim 37 , wherein at least 50% of the plurality of cells are penetrated by at least one nanowire of the plurality of nanowires. 
     
     
         47 . A method for the delivery of a molecule to a cell, comprising:
 providing a plurality of nanowires attached to a surface of a substrate, wherein at least one of the nanowires of the plurality of nanowires further comprises a surface layer of a silicon-containing material, a first silane linker covalently bound thereto, and a molecule electrostatically bound to the first silane linker; and   contacting the plurality of nanowires with a plurality of cells to cause penetration of at least some of the nanowires into at least some cells of the plurality of cells.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein at least some of the nanowires are attached to the surface along a substantially vertical direction to the surface. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the plurality of nanowires has an average diameter of less than 200 nm. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the plurality of nanowires has an average a length of 2.5-5 micrometers. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the plurality of nanowires has an average density of 0.01-10 nanowires/micrometer 2 . 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the molecule is a protein or a polysaccharide. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the molecule is RNA or DNA. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the silicon-containing material is silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon carbide. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the silane linker is propylaminosilane, (3-aminopropyl)-trimethoxysilane, (11-aminoundecyl)-triethoxysilane, (3-mercaptopropyl)-trimethoxysilane, or (11-mercaptoundecyl)-trimethoxysilane. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 47 , comprising causing penetration of at least 50% of the plurality of cells by at least one nanowire of the plurality of nanowires.