Concentrations dominated membrane permeability variation by fullerol nanoparticles on a single living HeLa cell

Abstract

The effects in HeLa cell membrane permeability caused by the fullerenols C₆₀(OH)_n with different concentrations were studied by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). We demonstrate that C₆₀(OH)_n has very low cytotoxicity, although it can still have strong effects on the cell membrane permeability. In the presence of 1 × 10⁻³ mg mL⁻¹ (1 ppm) C₆₀(OH)_n, the cell membrane permeability increases by 26% after 76 min, which is reversible. When C₆₀(OH)_n concentration is over 25 × 10⁻³ mg mL⁻¹ (25 ppm), the change in membrane permeability (increased 19%) is irreversible.