Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Display Microtubule Biomimetic Properties <i>in Vivo</i>, Enhancing Microtubule Assembly and Stabilization Lidia Rodriguez-Fernandez Rafael Valiente Jesús Gonzalez Juan C. Villegas Mónica L. Fanarraga 10.1021/nn302222m.s001 https://acs.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Multiwalled_Carbon_Nanotubes_Display_Microtubule_Biomimetic_Properties_i_in_Vivo_i_Enhancing_Microtubule_Assembly_and_Stabilization/2492914 Microtubules are hollow protein cylinders of 25 nm diameter which are implicated in cytokinetics and proliferation in all eukaryotic cells. Here we demonstrate <i>in vivo</i> how multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) interact with microtubules in human cancer cells (HeLa) blocking mitosis and leading to cell death by apoptosis. Our data suggest that, inside the cells, MWCNTs display microtubule biomimetic properties, assisting and enhancing noncentrosomal microtubule polymerization and stabilization. These features might be useful for developing a revolutionary generation of chemotherapeutic agents based on nanomaterials. 2012-08-28 00:00:00 cancer cells eukaryotic cells chemotherapeutic agents Enhancing Microtubule Assembly noncentrosomal microtubule polymerization Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Display Microtubule Biomimetic Properties cell death protein cylinders MWCNTs display microtubule biomimetic properties 25 nm diameter multiwalled carbon nanotubes