Magnetic Barcode Nanowires for Osteosarcoma Cell Control, Detection and Separation

Multilayered gold/nickel “barcode” nanowires were grown using electrodeposition for multiplexed detection in biomolecular assays. Non-specific uptake of barcoded nanowires by osteosarcoma cells (OSCA-8) was observed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy images. Barcode-tagged cells were manipulated with an external magnetic field and were readily separated from untagged cells. Separation efficiency increased from a maximum of 30.14% to a maximum of 47.9% as clustering was reduced. Cells exposed to nanowires (both those that incorporated wires and those that did not) appeared to be viable suggesting that the nanowires are not toxic.