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arXiv · 2205.04342

Microfluidic cell engineering on high-density microelectrode arrays for assessing structure-function relationships in living neuronal networks

Yuya Sato·Hideaki Yamamoto·Hideyuki Kato·Takashi Tanii·Shigeo Sato·Ayumi Hirano-Iwata
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Abstract

Neuronal networks in dissociated culture combined with cell engineering technology offer a pivotal platform to constructively explore the relationship between structure and function in living neuronal networks. Here, we fabricated defined neuronal networks possessing a modular architecture on high-density microelectrode arrays (HD-MEAs), a state-of-the-art electrophysiological tool for recording neural activity with high spatial and temporal resolutions. We first established a surface coating protocol using a cell-permissive hydrogel to stably attach polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic film on the HD-MEA. We then recorded the spontaneous neural activity of the engineered neuronal network, which revealed an important portrait of the engineered neuronal network--modular architecture enhances functional complexity by reducing the excessive neural correlation between spatially segregated modules. The results of this study highlight the impact of HD-MEA recordings combined with cell engineering technologies as a novel tool in neuroscience to constructively assess the structure-function relationships in neuronal networks.

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Yuya Sato, Hideaki Yamamoto, Hideyuki Kato, Takashi Tanii, Shigeo Sato, Ayumi Hirano-Iwata. 2022-05-09. Microfluidic cell engineering on high-density microelectrode arrays for assessing structure-function relationships in living neuronal networks. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.943310

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