Locust primary neuronal culture for the study of synaptic transmission.

We have designed a cell culture system for thoracic neurons of adult Locusta migratoria that enables the establishment of functional synapses in vitro. Patch-clamp recordings revealed three different neuron classes. About half of the neurons (47%) had unexcitable somata with outward and no inward conductance.

Electrically controlling cell adhesion, growth and migration.

We have developed a neurochip to control the adhesion and outgrowth of individual neurons by electrochemical removal of protein repellent molecules from transparent electrodes. The neurochip architecture is based on three parallel indium-tin-oxide (ITO) electrodes on a SiO(2) substrate and a photoresist structure forming a landing spot for the neuron soma and two lateral outgrowth pathways for the neurites. The whole surface was turned protein and cell repellent with poly(ethylene glycol) grafted-poly(L-lysine) (PLL-g-PEG) before enabling neuron soma adhesion by selective PLL-g-PEG removal.

Ultrathin Coatings with Change in Reactivity over Time Enable Functional In Vitro Networks Of Insect Neurons.

It's just not cricket! A novel coating system that enables covalent attachment of biomolecules in a nonfouling environment without use of additional chemical crosslinkers is presented. Concanavalin A is patterned on the coatings to direct cell adhesion and growth of neurons from the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus and generate functional, patterned in vitro insect neuronal networks for the first time.

Patterning chemical stimulation of reconstructed neuronal networks.

A spatially resolved delivery of substances integrated with cell culture substrates shows promise for application in pharmacological assays, bioanalytical studies on cell signaling pathways and cell-based biosensors, where control over the extracellular biochemical environment with a cellular resolution is desirable. In this work, we studied a biohybrid system where rat embryonic cortical neuronal networks are reconstructed on microstructured silicon chips and interfaced to microfluidics. The design of cell-cell and cell-medium interactions in confined geometries is presented.

Surface grafting of PEO-based star-shaped molecules for bioanalytical and biomedical applications.

This article reviews surface grafting of star-shaped PEO. The use of star-shaped polymers is compared to linear PEO chains regarding the layer preparation and the ability of the resulting surfaces to resist protein adsorption. We then focus on the use of end-functionalized, star-shaped, PEO-based prepolymers that are able to form covalent crosslinks and functional polymer networks on the substrate.

Microcontact printing of proteins for neuronal cell guidance.

The growth of neurons into networks of controlled geometry is of great interest in the field of cell-based biosensors, neuroelectronic circuits, neurological implants, pharmaceutical testing as well as fundamental biological questions about neuronal interactions. The precise control of the network architecture can be achieved by defined engineering of the surface material properties: this process is called neuronal cell patterning. Different techniques can be used to produce such surface patterns.

Spatially resolved non-invasive chemical stimulation for modulation of signalling in reconstructed neuronal networks.

Functional coupling of reconstructed neuronal networks with microelectronic circuits has potential for the development of bioelectronic devices, pharmacological assays and medical engineering. Modulation of the signal processing properties of on-chip reconstructed neuronal networks is an important aspect in such applications. It may be achieved by controlling the biochemical environment, preferably with cellular resolution.