Complementary Scanning Transmission Ion Microscopy and Live-Cell Confocal Microscopy Reveal Tunneling Nanotube Structure in U87 MG and LN229 Glioblastoma Cells.

Nicole Matejka, Frederick Cheong, Ce-Belle Chen, Andrew Anthony Bettiol, Judith Reindl

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in ACS omega, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

0citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Nicole MatejkaInstitute for Applied Physics and Measurement Technology, University of the Bundeswehr Munich, D-85577 Neubiberg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4437-1191

Frederick CheongCentre for Ion Beam Applications, Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 2 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117551, Singapore.

Ce-Belle ChenCentre for Ion Beam Applications, Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 2 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117551, Singapore.

Andrew Anthony BettiolCentre for Ion Beam Applications, Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, 2 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117551, Singapore.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5242-3644

Judith ReindlInstitute for Applied Physics and Measurement Technology, University of the Bundeswehr Munich, D-85577 Neubiberg, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) are tiny membrane tunnels that allow cells to rapidly exchange signals, organelles, and biological substances. This efficient form of cellular communication is associated with the aggressive nature of cancers, such as glioblastoma. The structure of TNTs, particularly their cytoskeletal composition and connection to the cell body, is of significant interest because it can reveal information about TNT stability, active transport mechanisms, and functionality. In this study, we investigated the TNT structure of two glioblastoma cell lines, U87 MG and LN229, using two distinct imaging techniques: live-cell confocal microscopy and scanning transmission ion microscopy (STIM). In particular, we demonstrate for the first time that it is feasible to obtain areal density information on label-free biological samples at high resolution from the ion energy loss using STIM. This technique, therefore, enables thickness mapping in the

Identifiers

PMID42597862

DOI10.1021/acsomega.6c01583

PMCPMC13470726

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.