Needling Cells: Stem cells could take their cues from silicon nanowires

The ability to make new heart muscle from a patient’s own stem cells is a dream for many cardiologists. By growing stem cells on a bed of silicon needles, researchers may have found a way to give the cells a push in the right direction.

ACCURATE PUNCTURE. A mouse embryonic stem cell stays alive while pierced by silicon nanowires that could carry electrical pulses that prod the cell’s development.