A Microfluidic Platform for the Characterisation of CNS Active Compounds.

New in vitro technologies that assess neuronal excitability and the derived synaptic activity within a controlled microenvironment would be beneficial for the characterisation of compounds proposed to affect central nervous system (CNS) function. Here, a microfluidic system with computer controlled compound perfusion is presented that offers a novel methodology for the pharmacological profiling of CNS acting compounds based on calcium imaging readouts. Using this system, multiple applications of the excitatory amino acid glutamate (10 nM-1 mM) elicited reproducible and reversible transient increases in intracellular calcium, allowing the generation of a concentration response curve.