Two Cell Circuits of Oriented Adult Hippocampal Neurons on Self-Assembled Monolayers for Use in the Study of Neuronal Communication in a Defined System

    Authors

    D. Edwards; M. Stancescu; P. Molnar;J. J. Hickman

    Comments

    Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

    Abbreviated Journal Title

    ACS Chem. Neurosci.

    Keywords

    Adult neurons; hippocampus; polarity; electrophysiological; characterization networks; self-assembled monolayers; SERUM-FREE CULTURE; SYNAPTIC PLASTICITY; PYRAMIDAL NEURONS; MODEL; SYSTEM; NETWORKS; ADSORPTION; SYNAPSES; GROWTH; ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY; QUANTIFICATION; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Chemistry, Medicinal; Neurosciences

    Abstract

    In this study, we demonstrate the directed formation of small circuits of electrically active, synaptically connected neurons derived from the hippocampus of adult rats through the use of engineered chemically modified culture surfaces that orient the polarity of the neuronal processes. Although synaptogenesis, synaptic communication, synaptic plasticity, and brain disease pathophysiology can be studied using brain slice or dissociated embryonic neuronal culture systems, the complex elements found in neuronal synapses makes specific studies difficult in these random cultures. The study of synaptic transmission in mature adult neurons and factors affecting synaptic transmission are generally studied in organotypic cultures, in brain slices, or in vivo. However, engineered neuronal networks would allow these studies to be performed instead on simple functional neuronal circuits derived from adult brain tissue. Photolithographic patterned self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were used to create the two-cell "bidirectional polarity" circuit patterns. This pattern consisted of a cell permissive SAM, N-1[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl] diethylenetriamine (DETA), and was composed of two 25 mu m somal adhesion sites connected with 5 mu m lines acting as surface cues for guided axonal and dendritic regeneration. Surrounding the DETA pattern was a background of a non-cell-permissive poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) SAM. Adult hippocampal neurons were first cultured on coverslips coated with DETA monolayers and were later passaged onto the PEG-DETA bidirectional polarity patterns in serum-free medium. These neurons followed surface cues, attaching and regenerating only along the DETA substrate to form small engineered neuronal circuits. These circuits were stable for more than 21 days in vitro (DIV), during which synaptic connectivity was evaluated using basic electrophysiological methods.

    Journal Title

    Acs Chemical Neuroscience

    Volume

    4

    Issue/Number

    8

    Publication Date

    1-1-2013

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    1174

    Last Page

    1182

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000323535900006

    ISSN

    1948-7193

    Share

    COinS