Department of Neurobiology, The Life Sciences Institute, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
J R Soc Interface. 2009 Dec 6;6(41):1153-65. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2009.0087. Epub 2009 May 27.
Interfacing neurons with micro- and nano-electronic devices has been a subject of intense study over the last decade. One of the major problems in assembling efficient neuro-electronic hybrid systems is the weak electrical coupling between the components. This is mainly attributed to the fundamental property of living cells to form and maintain an extracellular cleft between the plasma membrane and any substrate to which they adhere. This cleft shunts the current generated by propagating action potentials and thus reduces the signal-to-noise ratio. Reducing the cleft thickness, and thereby increasing the seal resistance formed between the neurons and the sensing surface, is thus a challenge and could improve the electrical coupling coefficient. Using electron microscopic analysis and field potential recordings, we examined here the use of gold micro-structures that mimic dendritic spines in their shape and dimensions to improve the adhesion and electrical coupling between neurons and micro-electronic devices. We found that neurons cultured on a gold-spine matrix, functionalized by a cysteine-terminated peptide with a number of RGD repeats, readily engulf the spines, forming tight apposition. The recorded field potentials of cultured Aplysia neurons are significantly larger using gold-spine electrodes in comparison with flat electrodes.
在过去的十年中,将神经元与微纳电子设备进行接口连接一直是一个热门研究课题。在组装高效的神经电子混合系统时,主要问题之一是组件之间的电耦合较弱。这主要归因于活细胞的基本特性,即它们在质膜和任何附着的基质之间形成并维持细胞外裂隙。该裂隙会分流传播动作电位产生的电流,从而降低信号噪声比。因此,减小裂隙厚度,从而增加神经元和传感表面之间形成的密封电阻,是一项挑战,并且可以提高电耦合系数。使用电子显微镜分析和场电位记录,我们在这里研究了使用形状和尺寸类似于树突棘的金微结构来改善神经元和微电子设备之间的粘附和电耦合。我们发现,用具有多个 RGD 重复序列的半胱氨酸末端肽官能化的金棘突基质培养的神经元很容易吞噬棘突,形成紧密的贴合。与平面电极相比,使用金棘突电极记录的培养的 Aplysia 神经元的场电位明显更大。