 |
|
||||||||||
Basic Research in Biology and Physiology of Electro-active Cells
Member of D-BSSE
Neurons of, e.g., embryonic or newborn rats, cultured on microelectrode arrays (MEAs), develop into strongly interacting networks. These networks can be used to study signal generation, transmission, and processing in their spontaneous electrical activity as well as in their response behavior to electrical/chemical stimulation or drug treatment. The MEA technique requires a tight coupling between the MEA-surface and the cells. Also the devices have to meet different biocompatibility criteria to enable long-term culturing.
The biocompatibility of MEA electrode materials (platinum, gold, etc.) and the influence of adhesion-promoting protein layers (laminin-1, poly-L-lysine, Matrigel, etc.) have been investigated with respect to neuronal cell growth (different types of mammalian neurons). Cell biology protocols for long-term culturing of dissociated mammalian neurons have been developed.
|
|
|
|
Dissociated Newborn Mouse Neurons Culture on a MEA chip (SEM picture). |
Mouse Neuron on an Electrode Chips are coated with laminin, picture taken after 5 days in vitro (SEM) |
MEAs also can be used as a platform for electrically-induced differentiation procedures in mammalian cells. Networks of dissociated neuronal or glial networks grown on MEAs are stimulated and the effects on cellular properties are studied. This may provide results that are relevant to the therapy of neurodegenerative diseases.
 |
|
|
Oligodendrocytes (CG4 Cells) Cells grown on MEA-chip, stained with anti-tubulin (red) antibodies and with DAPI (blue) to visualize the nuclei |
Newborn-rat Oligodendrocyte Oligodendrocyte precursors were purified from mixed glial cultures after 10 days, plated on laminin-2 coated chips and cultured for 6 days. |
Outlook
Future projects, which will rely on the CMOS platform technology in combination with cell biology protocols, include:
- Mechanisms of cell differentiation and development
- Investigation of neuronal plasticity and axonal regeneration
- Genetic modification of brain cells (ion channels/synaptic receptors) and generation of various types of neural networks
- Generation of neuronal networks with entirely new computational properties
Publications
- F. Greve, S. Frerker, A.G. Bittermann, C. Burkhardt, A. Hierlemann, H. Hall
"Molecular design and characterization of the neuron-microelectrode array interface“, Biomaterials 28 (2007) p. 5246-5258.
Collaborations
Groups at ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich.
Contact
Wichtiger Hinweis:
Diese Website wird in älteren Versionen von Netscape ohne
graphische Elemente dargestellt. Die Funktionalität der
Website ist aber trotzdem gewährleistet. Wenn Sie diese
Website regelmässig benutzen, empfehlen wir Ihnen, auf
Ihrem Computer einen aktuellen Browser zu installieren. Weitere
Informationen finden Sie auf
folgender
Seite.
Important Note:
The content in this site is accessible to any browser or
Internet device, however, some graphics will display correctly
only in the newer versions of Netscape. To get the most out of
our site we suggest you upgrade to a newer browser.
More
information
