Department of Engineering, Nanoscience Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Med Biol Eng Comput. 2010 Oct;48(10):945-54. doi: 10.1007/s11517-010-0644-8. Epub 2010 Jun 10.
Microelectrode arrays (MEAs) are designed to monitor and/or stimulate extracellularly neuronal activity. However, the biomechanical and structural mismatch between current MEAs and neural tissues remains a challenge for neural interfaces. This article describes a material strategy to prepare neural electrodes with improved mechanical compliance that relies on thin metal film electrodes embedded in polymeric substrates. The electrode impedance of micro-electrodes on polymer is comparable to that of MEA on glass substrates. Furthermore, MEAs on plastic can be flexed and rolled offering improved structural interface with brain and nerves in vivo. MEAs on elastomer can be stretched reversibly and provide in vitro unique platforms to simultaneously investigate the electrophysiological of neural cells and tissues to mechanical stimulation. Adding mechanical compliance to MEAs is a promising vehicle for robust and reliable neural interfaces.
微电极阵列（MEA）旨在监测和/或刺激细胞外神经元活动。然而，当前 MEA 与神经组织之间的生物力学和结构不匹配仍然是神经接口的一个挑战。本文描述了一种通过在聚合物基底中嵌入薄金属薄膜电极来制备具有改进的机械顺应性的神经电极的材料策略。聚合物上的微电极的电极阻抗与玻璃基底上的 MEA 的电极阻抗相当。此外，塑料上的 MEA 可以弯曲和卷起，从而改善与大脑和神经的体内结构接口。弹性体上的 MEA 可以可逆地拉伸，并为体外同时研究神经细胞和组织的电生理和机械刺激提供独特的平台。为 MEA 增加机械顺应性是实现稳健可靠的神经接口的一种很有前途的方法。
