Controllable delivery of small-molecule compounds to targeted cells utilizing carbon nanotubes.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have emerged as a new alternative and efficient tool for transporting molecules with biotechnological and biomedical applications, because of their remarkable physicochemical properties. Encapsulation of functional molecules into the hollow chambers of CNTs can not only stabilize encapsulated molecules but also generate new nanodevices. In this work, we have demonstrated that CNTs can function as controllable carriers to transport small-molecule compounds (SMCs) loaded inside their hollow tunnels onto targeted cells.